She'll Eat You Alive
by bmaniavids
Summary: The moment Kahlan stepped foot in front of Richard, he was hers.  Loosely based on a video I made with the same title - find on YT; bmaniavids.
1. Introductions

He never recalled laying his eyes on such a woman before.

Her hood covered the majority of her face, which was looking down. The slits in her dress revealed her toned thighs. The dip at the neckline gave him pause. He had never seen such a lovely prisoner before. Since he became Lord Rahl, his days mostly consisted of paperwork of some kind, and hearing trials to those who supposedly have done wrong. He often overturned rulings, letting men go free when he felt the punishment was too harsh. However, the only women he saw were unsightly thieves who were stealing from the wrong man. No one like this ever came through. She was too composed to be a common criminal. He hoped she was charged ridiculously, just so he could let her go.

"What brings you here?" Richard said, leaning forward a bit over his desk.

She continued to lurk forward at a slow pace. Richard's eyes drifted, taking in her form once again. Too lovely to be a thief, too gorgeous to be a prostitute. This was puzzling. Zedd stood to the side, seeming to take her in as well - but not in the blatantly obvious way that Richard was. Zedd was sizing up her strength, not her beauty. When she was a few feet away from him, her chest was directly in his line of sight. Richard's mind became clouded, and he quickly stood. He was slightly taller than her, not by much. She held her hands in front of her, head still down.

"Miss?"

When she looked up at him, her hood fell back, and he had to brace himself on the desk in order to stay upright. He took in the sight of her. Her shockingly blue eyes pierced through him. Above her eyes were the graceful arch of her eyebrows. She had freckles that curiously kissed her face. His gaze drifted lower. There was a scar on the left side of her upper lip, faint, but visible. Her lips proved to be dangerously tempting. His eyes drifted to her hair. It was long, full, with a slight curl. He imagined burying his hands deep in her tresses. His gaze resettled on her eyes.

"Mother Confessor!" Richard turned swiftly, only to see his grandfather rushing up to the woman and putting his arms around her. She welcomed it, quickly accepting the hug and embracing him further.

Richard stood there, dumbly. How could his grandfather know such a woman as this? He stood for what seemed like hours before they finally parted, the woman adorning a huge smile, mirroring Zedd's. They seemed to recollect themselves and both turned to Richard.

"Oh, my boy, how rude of us! This is Kahlan Amnell, the Mother Confessor." She dipped her head slightly, a tight smile on her lips.

Confessor. He was all too familiar with those. One of them came barreling through the boundary to gather him up and throw him into a fight against Darken Rahl. She died in battle. Zedd gave Richard all the information on Confessors that he could handle. Most were young, beautiful, and deadly - not just with their magic. The thought of a woman just touching someone, and having them fall in love with her in an instant scared Richard. He glanced at Kahlan. She certainly wouldn't need magic to make any man fall in love with her. Richard was fairly certain he was already falling for her, and she hadn't even said a word to him. She was different. Mother Confessor. In the midst of the Confessor conversation that took place years ago, Richard quickly stopped his grandfather from elaborating more than necessary. He wasn't aware that there was a hierarchy when it came to the women. Yet, he couldn't think of a more perfect leader for such a group.

Richard opened his mouth to greet her, but quickly retracted. How does one greet the Mother Confessor?

"Richard, my boy, you can call her Kahlan. She is quite humble with her title. Right, my dear?" He turned to look at Kahlan, gesturing for her to agree to put Richard more at ease.

She looked up at him. "Of course."

Dear Spirits. This woman was the perfect physical specimen. When her voice hit his ears, he could have sworn it was a melody. Her voice was soothing, calm, but authoritative. She could have just told him that all life was being swallowed up into the Underworld, and he would have been more amazed than shocked. He faintly heard voices, and was aware Zedd and Kahlan were talking to each other, but he was still mesmerized by her perfection.

"This is my grandson, Richard. Richard Cypher is his birth name, Richard Rahl is his title." Richard watched as his grandfather introduced them, and studied Kahlan as she slowly nodded her head, a small smile playing on her lips.

"So this is the Lord Rahl," her voice sounded like honey to his ears, "I have heard quite a bit about you. All better than your predecessor." Her gaze redirected from Zedd to him, her blue eyes seeming to take him in as he originally took her in. He only wished that she thought half of what he thought of her.

"Lord Rahl?"

Richard snapped back to reality, finally out of the fog that this woman had put him under. He quickly shuffled around the desk and stepped in front of Kahlan, now only inches apart. She studied each move he made.

"Richard, call me Richard." He couldn't stop the boyish smile that came to his face, he honestly just wanted her to say his name. They both stood there a moment, completely unaware of Zedd.

"Richard." She finally drawled out. The left side of her mouth quirked up in a smirk, he took note not to look down at her lips. This woman was smart. Either she was naturally this alluring, or she knew exactly what she was doing to him. Either way, he was not sure he cared, he just didn't want Zedd's scolding later. He would never hear the end of leering at the Mother Confessor herself.

"Bags! Kahlan, what are you doing here at the People's Palace?" When Kahlan broke eye contact with Richard, he felt himself let out a breath that he was unaware he was holding.

"I heard that a new Lord Rahl has taken his rightful place as the leader of D'hara, I wanted to come and meet him. I was all too acquainted with the previous Rahl, and hoped this one would prove to be kinder." Zedd was preparing to say something, but Richard quickly cut in.

"You knew Darken Rahl?"

Her eyes drifted back onto him, a dull pain residing in them. He regretted he asked.

"'Knew' is a relative term, I guess to make it more accurate, I'd have to say I was hunted by him, and only came face to face with him on a few occasions." She lifted her chin, making her eyelids drop slightly over her eyes. It only seemed to intensify her gaze.

Richard was speechless. He knew of Darken Rahl's displeasure of Confessors, his own had told him many times. Rahl sent out quads to exterminate them all, this information shouldn't shock him, but it did. Rahl wasn't just hunting Confessors, he was hunting this woman, the Mother Confessor. Why anyone would lay a harmful hand on her, he couldn't even fathom, especially just because of her birthright.

He finally managed to clear the lump from his throat, and choked out that he was sorry.

"Nothing to be sorry for, Cypher. Don't take on the guilt just because someone before you made mistakes, you are who you are, no more, no less."

Richard couldn't help but smile. He felt his heart hammering in his chest when she called him 'Cypher.' It was playful and coy, affectionate. He felt like she was recognizing him for who he was, not who he was meant to be.

"Kahlan, my dear, will you grace us with why you actually came here? This is a long way from Aydindryl." Zedd took a step closer to Kahlan, intently looking down at her. Her one sided smirk crept it's way back up.

"What ever do you mean, Wizard? I came to meet Richard." She tilted her head in Richard's direction, the smile still playing on her lips, mischief lingering in her voice.

"Dear one, you should know not to underestimate a wizard of the First Order's intelligence." Zedd retorted, lifting an eyebrow.

Kahlan sighed, her lips slightly parted. She turned away from them both, and started to walk towards the front of the room. She stopped halfway, and turned her body, giving Richard a profile view he previously had not seen. He took a second to let the image burn into his memory.

"Why, my dear Wizard and Lord, don't you know?" Richard noticed the shift in her eyes, they were now darker, more sinister. He hoped it was a change in lighting, not her.

"I'm afraid we do not." Zedd stood, back straight, seeming to tower over the entire room. Richard flickered his eyes between the two.

"Then I suppose I'll have to inform you," she breathed, repositioning herself to face directly towards them. Her eyes settled on Richard, his muscles tensed. "I'm looking for a mate."


	2. Union

Richard blinked. A lump formed in his throat. She was looking for a mate. This much, he did know about Confessors. Her gaze was fixed upon him. Did she want him? He felt a pang in his stomach. He would willingly be hers, but not at the risk of losing himself. Her grip on him was already unbelievably tight, and they had only known each other a total of half an hour. He only hoped he had enough strength to deny her her request.

A playful smile danced on her lips.

"My dear child, why would you come here for that task?" Zedd approached her, arms open in questioning.

"A union between the Midlands and D'Hara, of course." She said it with such a light demeanor, as if it were common sense, a common occurrence.

Zedd took a step back, retracting his arms and crossing them over his chest. "Mother Confessor, I pray to the spirits you aren't considering the Lord Rahl as a mate." Richard felt his breath catch in his throat, and his heart seem to drop into his chest. He wasn't sure of how he'd react to either answer. If she said she did wish him to be her mate, he'd be ecstatic, but heartbroken to tell her he couldn't. If she said she didn't wish for him to be her mate, he'd be heartbroken just the same. Either way, Richard was going to end up hurt in this discussion.

Kahlan's blue eyes danced between the two of them. "Why, Wizard! Of course I considered him to be a mate," her smile widened, "however, I'm relatively sure that you wouldn't allow your grandson to be confessed and made a slave to me, so," she sighed, lifting her right hand in the air, twirling it around slightly, "I figured maybe someone else in this kingdom of D'Hara would do the honors."

And what an honor it would be.

Her arm dropped and she took two steps forward. Her smile lessened, and now a smirk was residing on her lips. "Any suggestions, Lord Rahl?" She drew his title out slowly, her right eyebrow arching as she leaned towards him. His words seemed to jumble together, the last thing he wanted to do was suggest a man for her to lay with.

"Bags, woman! Why have you come to D'Hara? What is this union that you claim is necessary?"

Her gaze turned hostile, her blue eyes conveying threats while the playful nature dried up. "Are you that thickheaded, Zedd! My people are afraid for their lives! Sure, all things nice and good and righteous have been said about Richard, but he is a Rahl! Darken Rahl has brought endless destruction to the Midlands, the people aren't sure that he won't do the same!" She pointed at Richard, and he suddenly felt very shameful to be the Lord Rahl. "This union may be the only thing that makes my people feel safer, feel like they can sleep at night without dozens of D'Haran soldiers knocking down their doors and massacring their families!"

By the end of the speech, her voice was in a yell, her face red with rage. Richard rushed over and put himself between the two, forcing them to step back and put distance between one another. He could feel Kahlan's eyes burning on his back while he looked up at his grandfather.

"She's right." Zedd took a step forward, but Richard stood his ground. "Zedd, she's right." He felt Kahlan's composure relax behind him, and he was happy to be the buffer between the two balls of sparks and flames. Her glare alone seemed to be able to set a man on fire, he could only imagine how deadly she actually was. It thrilled him and humbled him at the same time. At this very moment, he was acting as a defense to the most powerful woman in the Midlands, keeping her from ripping out the throat of Zeddicus Zul' Zurander, a wizard of the First Order. Richard suddenly felt very small.

Zedd sighed and retreated, taking a step away from his grandson, and recrossing his arms. "Any suggestions, Lord Rahl?" He mirrored her question, leaving off the seductive allure that Kahlan had added when pronouncing his title. This was Zedd's way of showing Richard he knew which side he had chosen, and Zedd was to be of no help.

Kahlan spoke up, making Richard turn around to look at her. "Preferably, I'd like someone with considerable rank and a high reputation."

Zedd lost his mind when she spoke this, and came thrashing forward, pushing Richard out of the way, leering down at Kahlan as he shouted, "You come bombarding in here announcing you are looking for a mate, and declare you want one who is respectable and a good man to D'Hara! That is absurd! If anything, you should claim a criminal, a man whom no one cares about!"

Her words came out calm, level, but with a considerable amount of venom in them. Her eyes shot venom with equal purpose - to kill. "Now, if I were to take a criminal as a mate, then the Midlands would hold no value in the union. D'Hara wouldn't think twice of attacking the Midlands again when the union was made with a criminal. I am the most powerful woman in the Midlands, you should be thankful I'm not taking Richard as a mate - and you know I could if I so wished. Is it too much to ask to have the Mother Confessor be paired with a man that has some kind of rank? The rank would ensure my peoples trust D'Hara, and would make D'Hara have an investment in the Midlands, in our child. My people have sacrificed much at the hands of this kingdom, a respectable man as a mate is the least of what D'Hara owes the Midlands." Kahlan's voice was leveled the entire time, but she emphasized 'owes,' and Richard realized that she was right. D'Hara owed the Midlands.

The fire was taken out of Zedd's argument, and he lifted his hands in defeat as he took a step back. "My dear one, you are right."

Kahlan let out a loud sigh as she took a few steps forward, and then threw her arms around the wizard. When she pulled back, Richard noticed that moisture started to pool in her eyes, and he was delighted to see the feud over - but upset that her blue orbs were spilling out tears. Tears should never touch those eyes.

She chuckled as she brought her slender hand to her face, gently wiping away the droplets. She muttered an apology for getting so mad as she continued to wipe her eyes, light laughs slipping through her lips.

The only thing that would have made Richard happier was if he could be the man she took into her bed.


	3. Passing

It had been a week since Kahlan had come to the People's Palace. Richard had grown accustomed to seeing her variously roaming the halls, talking with the maidservants, walking into rooms unannounced. The first night she was there, Richard directed her to her room himself. He made sure it was one of the finest guest rooms in the palace - and one that was close to his. Every time he glanced at her, a smile always adorned her face, and her blues were always sparkling. She thanked him for picking such a fine room as he opened the door for her. He watched her as she walked in, observing her surroundings. When he nodded his appreciation and turned to leave, she lightly rested her hand on his arm, giving a gentle squeeze. She smiled as she let go, said goodnight, and closed the door.

That was the only time they touched.

Over the past week, Kahlan had been taking suggestions from Zedd for a mate - who now was fully behind the idea of uniting the Midlands and D'Hara in such a manner. Despite the many times she asked, Richard always said that he couldn't think of a man who would deserve such a woman as her. She'd laugh playfully, saying something along the lines of "Oh, Richard," or "Tssk, tssk, Cypher," before turning and resuming conversation with Zedd. He doubted she thought he was serious.

One day, when the three were sitting at the table, Kahlan said something that shocked Richard and almost sent Zedd through his chair onto the floor.

"I want him to want this." She twirled a strand of her hair between her fingers as she looked at the table, her other hand tracing the grooves in the wood.

"Kahlan, my dear, no man would want to be confessed." Zedd said sympathetically. He was wrong. Richard was relatively sure that many men would give up their whole lives just to be with her, in her presence.

"Confession, maybe not - but unity. I want a man who wants this, a peaceful relation between D'Hara and the Midlands. It'd be ideal for the man to be willing to be confessed, but that's too much to ask." She looked up from the table, her hand dropping from her hair, letting the strand fall down to play along her neckline. Her gaze seemed distant, and her eyes found Richard's.

He curled his lip in a boyish grin, "I'm sure we can find someone."

"Ah, we went over this, Cypher. You are not an option." Kahlan laughed as she said it, and rested both hands on the table before pushing herself up to walk away.

Zedd turned his head and waited for his grandson to look at him.

"There is a dangerous line you are treading, my boy. She wasn't lying when she said she could take you if she wanted - don't tempt her." Richard smiled and brushed off his words.

She continued to wear her traveling outfit, the one that showed off her thighs and chest. Richard prayed to the spirits she would change soon, the outfit was almost too much for him to bear. She was exquisite in it, and all the talk about taking a mate was too much for him to handle. He finally decided he was going to ask if she wanted some clothes sent to her, that maybe she tired of the ones she was wearing. Later in the day when he saw her, he got his answer.

She was breathtaking.

The white dress she wore hugged every curve of her body, a slit in the front reached from the ground to where her legs parted, a black under dress beneath. The neckline was the same as her previous outfit, but her corset was a little more concealed. The sleeves reached down to her elbows, where the white fabric hung, and when her arms were fully rested, the excess seemed to touch the ground. Her skin appeared more porcelain against the stark white, her blue eyes shining more brilliant than they had before - which Richard thought was impossible. Her dark hair framed her face, and held more curl than it did in the previous days.

She looked like a good spirit in the flesh.

When she saw him, mouth agape, she walked up to him with a smile as brilliantly white as her dress. She placed her right hand on the bottom of his chin, and gently pushed up, closing his mouth. She chuckled as she walked past him. He searched his mind for something to say.

"Kahlan?" She turned her head slightly, stopping her steps.

"Yes?"

"I've never seen a dress like that before."

She turned to him, that half smirk present, and said, "Why, Richard, this is a Confessor's dress. You are the Seeker, I'm sure you've seen one before." She raised her eyebrow at him.

"They were black."

She smiled and looked down, taking a few steps forward. "The Mother Confessor wears white. Other than that, you've seen this dress before, have you not?"

Richard suddenly felt very stupid, his Confessor wore the exact same dress - the only difference was that it was black. He wasn't aware that only the Mother Confessor wore white. He wasn't aware that any Confessors wore white. He cursed himself for stopping Zedd's explanation of Confessors so long ago.

Instead of trying to defend himself, he just chuckled, and reached his right hand behind his neck to scratch at his hairline as he looked down. She laughed, not the light laughs he's heard - but a laugh of pure amusement. It only made him chuckle more, until he was laughing with her.

"You don't know much about Confessors, do you?" She sauntered over to him, her arms crossed below her, bringing her breasts into his view even more. He tried to find the words when his body was reacting to her stance. He didn't want to tell her that he once thought Confessors to be the vilest creatures, and that he avoided gathering any information about them than necessary.

He smiled, dropping his hand from his neck, "I seemed to have forgotten." He met her eyes, his boyish grin growing wider.

She cocked her head to the right, leaned in, and parted her lips. Her voice was barely louder than a whisper. "Confessors don't have to use their power to tell when someone is lying." Richard slid his eyes closed. He just lied to the Mother Confessor. He wondered if there was a punishment for that. She straightened her back, smile gleaming, and said she better not catch him lying to her again. She gave a wink, and started walking off. He stood there, shocked, but unbelievably giddy.

A maidservant walked by her, and asked her what the special occasion was.

Though she was paces ahead of him, he heard her words as clear as if she were talking directly into his ear.

"I've found a mate."

Richard felt his heart shatter, and had to keep from letting his knees buckle beneath him.


	4. Evaded

Richard watched her round the corner of the hallway before he was finally was able to stable himself. He cleared his head, then started to go after her, making a right at the hallway and picking up his speed to a jog to catch up to her. He slowed down once he reached her, and fell in step beside her. Kahlan glanced his way, but didn't slow her pace, or engage in conversation with him.

Richard finally got up the courage to ask, "Did I overhear you just say you found a mate?" He tried to keep his voice emotionless.

"Why, yes, Lord Rahl, you did." She didn't look over at him. She made a sudden left, and he stumbled over his feet with the redirect. He was quickly back at her side.

"And may I ask who this man is?" Richard heard the slightly bitter tone in his voice, and from the expression on Kahlan's face, it didn't go past her. She lifted her eyebrow.

"Do I hear resentment in your voice, Cypher?" Over the past week, Richard had learned to decipher Kahlan's voice, and her petnames. When she was being playful, she called him Cypher, when she was serious or wanted his undivided attention, Richard. Dependent on her tone of voice, Lord Rahl could be playful, or resentful. She called him Cypher. This meant she wasn't mad at him for speaking the way he did. This was a good start.

They continued walking down the hallway - he wasn't sure where they were going. He leaned to the left and brushed against her shoulder. He held his mouth a few inches from her ear. "Maybe."

She turned her head, her nose grazed across his lips, she looked up into his eyes. "And why would you be resentful?" She knew what she was doing. Richard wasn't wrong when he made a mental note of this woman being incredibly intelligent when they first met. She used her sexuality. However, Richard still couldn't tell if it was natural, or forced. A thought in the back of his head nagged him - if she were really trying to seduce him, he wouldn't stand a chance. This was all natural. This woman was this alluring and desirable by nature. She was a force to be reckoned with.

They continued walking in that peculiar position - him slightly leaned to the left, facing her, while her face pointed to the right, looking up at him. All of a sudden, she fell back and took a left. Richard never saw such an action before. She stayed in her stance, but instead, took side steps to the left, her face still looking at him. After a few steps, she repositioned her body forward, and continued walking down the hallway. He jogged to catch up to her.

"Who wouldn't be resentful?" He finally managed to say, and waited to see if she took the bait. She lifted her eyebrow again, her eyes questioning. Prey caught.

"Well, Mother Confessor," he began, looking forward, locking his hands behind his back, "a man would have to be out of his mind not to be resentful towards your mate." He looked over at her again, lowering his head as if whispering a secret, "If you are not aware, which I am sure you are, you are quite a remarkable woman." The left sided smirk played on her lips. He loved that smile, it was mischievous, and from what he's observed - he's the only one who has been able to summon it. He no longer shied away from looking at her lips when she did it, and she never commented on it - but he knew she was fully aware of it. Zedd, however, was quick to notice, and Richard had to sit through various lectures of how the Mother Confessor shouldn't be leered at that way. Normally, he heeded Zedd's advice, but not with this, not with her.

Before he was able to stop himself, he asked, "Kahlan, how did you get that scar on your lip?"

"Battle." And that was it. No explanation, just a straightforward answer. He didn't want to pry, but his curiosity was getting the best of him. He loved that scar. The minor imperfection only added to her overall beauty. He held his tongue between his teeth to keep from asking more questions.

She took another right. They were now heading down a stairwell.

"Zedd tells me you are quite deadly with your daggers."

She looked over at him as they made their way down the stairs. "That's an understatement." She pursed her lips as she made eye contact with him, her eyebrows lifting involuntarily. Spirits, she was beautiful. Another thought occurred to him.

"Don't you have trouble walking down these stairs in that dress? I'm surprised you haven't fallen over yourself." He knew it was a stupid question, from what he's observed and been told, Kahlan seems to defy the laws of everything. This should be no different. Her eyebrows scrunched together as she opened her mouth, her tongue playing on the left side of her teeth.

He wanted to capture that tongue with his own.

"Richard .." She wanted his attention. "Women walk in dresses all the time, this is no different."

They were out of the stairwell. She took another right.

He didn't have a defense for that, instead he just frowned. She did that to him often. The majority of the time he asked a question to spark a conversation, she answered him - but made him feel rather idiotic when she did. He found that just as thrilling as the rest of her.

He decided banter was his best option, and it always seemed to be the one she responded to most. When he was about to open his mouth, she opened hers instead.

"You know, I fight in this dress too." Her eyebrows rose and her top lip curled up, her blue eyes full of mischief.

Now he was truly astonished. She had to be the single most amazing woman in the world. She must have read his face because she started laughing, throwing her head back slightly.

"You don't believe me, do you?" She took a left and opened a door, they were now out in the courtyard. This woman knew the People's Palace better than he did, and he was Lord Rahl.

It was midmorning. The sun was rather bright, the light shining off her dress, making it blindingly white. She turned around, the light acting as a halo around her hair, and looked him up and down.

"You know .." she slowly drew out, stepping a few steps closer to him, "I could show you."

He blinked. He was fairly certain she meant fighting in the dress, but her tone suggested otherwise. It didn't matter - he would see anything she was willing to show him. A grin spread across his face.

"Meet me here in a few hours and you'll see just how deadly I am." She smirked before she turned around to walk across the courtyard.

Then realization hit Richard.

She had just evaded his question by steering him off track. He still didn't know who she chose as her mate. He cursed under his breath. After regaining his composure, he made a promise to himself.

In a few hours, he would know who this mate was.


	5. Friendly Counsel

When Zedd heard of the sparring match that was going to take place between Richard and Kahlan, he automatically objected.

"Richard, my boy!" Zedd came barreling through the doors to Richard's chambers, arms flailing and face red. Richard rose from his seat on the edge of the bed, confused and bewildered. He rushed over to Zedd, and took a hold of his arms to keep them from flinging about.

"Zedd?" Richard was concerned that something had gone wrong - and his mind instantly went to Kahlan. What if something happened to her?

"Bags, boy! Do you have a deathwish? Sparring with the Mother Confessor!" Richard chuckled, and backed away, scratching at his hairline.

"Is that what this is all about?" Richard said with a laugh, Zedd's face not conveying the same amusement Richard's was. He quickly gathered his thoughts and tried to put his grandfather at rest.

"Zedd, it's just sparring - no harm will be done. She just wants to prove to me that she can fight in the dress effectively, that's all." Why was he so concerned? They weren't actually going to fight - this was just so she could prove she was right. Zedd's glare heated, and Richard felt like he was shrinking before his grandfather's form.

"Haven't I told you that she was deadly with her daggers? Kahlan is the single most dangerous woman I have ever met, and you challenged her to a fighting match!" Zedd was now yelling. Richard stumbled over his words.

"I didn't! She was the one who suggested it."

"But you didn't object!" Zedd was right, he didn't object, even after hearing how competent she was with weapons. Richard took a few steps back, sighing and slumping his shoulders forward. He couldn't defend this. Now that Zedd had put it into retrospect, Richard realized that fighting with the Mother Confessor could indeed be a deathwish. Yet, he didn't care.

Zedd's face softened as he looked at his grandson, realization seeming to dawn on him. "My boy, I know why you are doing this, sparring her." Richard looked up, how could Zedd know? He didn't even know why he was.

"Richard, I know you just want to get close to her, but she is unattainable to you." Richard felt like a sword had pierced through his heart, even though he knew that it was true. He frowned. Zedd patted his soldier, and got up to leave. When he reached the door, he looked back at Richard.

"Try not to get yourself killed, my boy." After he closed the door, Richard sat back down on the edge of his bed. Light from the window played on the floor, reflecting specs that were in the marble. He turned his head and looked outside, he only left Kahlan to wander in the sunlight an hour ago. He wondered what she was doing, and how she knew her way around the People's Palace as if she lived there her whole life.

He wondered who her mate was.

It wasn't long before Richard found himself out in the courtyard, the sun shining brightly overhead.


	6. Temptress

Richard didn't have to wait long before he saw Kahlan strolling back into the courtyard, her gaze not seeming to meet him the way his automatically met her. He should have been discouraged at this, it verified the fact she was unattainable - but he was only fueled by it. He had to work to get her attention, and it was something that he loved about her. It was a chase that he intended to keep up.

He hardly noticed she was standing in front of him, but his attention was brought to her when she let out a slight cough. He pushed off the tree he was leaning on, smiling from cheek to cheek.

"And how long have you been out here waiting for me, Lord Rahl?" She teased.

"Not long - but you know I'd wait an eternity for you." He bantered back, leaning forward, eyes sparkling and smile widening. Kahlan pursed her lips, she opened her mouth to speak, but slowly closed it. She turned her head to the left, looking up into the sky, and made some inaudible sounds while shaking her head.

Richard had just made the Mother Confessor speechless.

He chuckled as he made his way around her to stand directly in her line of sight. She looked up at him through heavy lashes, her tongue poking the left side of her cheek.

"I'm going to wipe that smile clean off your face, Seeker." That was a new one. She never called him Seeker before, she only referenced to him being the Seeker. She said it in a playful manner, but with a hint of challenging - he took note of it and smiled again.

"Be my guest." She burst into a smile that could have stopped his heart. She laughed slightly, blue eyes glistening, hair slightly ruffled in the breeze.

Word of how Lord Rahl and the Mother Confessor were going to spar spread quickly through the palace, and Richard wasn't quite sure why. He was meaning to ask Zedd how he found out, but was too focused on the conversation that was at hand. Richard hadn't told anybody, and he was reasonably sure that Kahlan wouldn't go around building up a hype around a friendly sparring match. Everybody who was in the courtyard cleared out about an hour ago, all wishing to be nowhere near the two during their match, which was said to be of a very violent nature. He was sure that soon enough, there would be rumors circling around the two, and what exactly led up to this.

If only they had known it was simply because he questioned her walking in that dress.

The courtyard, now empty besides the two of them, was the perfect place to spar. There were various trees, but for the most part the landscape was rather vacant. The lush grass grew evenly, leaving no hills or holes for either of them to fall into. The terrain was vast, leaving them plenty of room to maneuver around each other.

Kahlan gently pulled on his shirt, a hand on each side of the opening to his chest, where his pendent was dangling, and pulled him dangerously close to her face. He could feel her breath on his lips.

"Steel or wood?" Richard's eyebrows shot up in questioning.

She still held him by his shirt, but moved her right hand down to his belt to find the scabbard that his sword was residing in. She gently pulled the sword out of its sheath, still holding him with her left hand, him making no attempts to stop her. She positioned the sword until it was comfortable in her hand, and then she moved the blade directly in between their faces.

"Real weapons, or play weapons?" She asked, amusement sparkling in her eyes. Richard felt his cheeks burning red, and her one sided smirk was not remedying the situation. He picked up his left hand and wrapped it around hers, helping steady the sword, which she had previously been waving in his face, taunting. He pulled her hand so that the sword was out of his direct line of sight, and stared into her blue orbs.

"All up to you, Mother Confessor." She smiled as she let go of his shirt, and quickly maneuvered her hand so that Richard's grasp on the sword was no longer. She tossed the blade to him, leaning down to remove her daggers from her boots.

She sauntered up to him, tight smile on her lips, as she lifted a dagger and lightly pressed it where his heart was. "Although this may be a friendly sparring match," she dragged the dagger downwards, eyes still burning into him, "I feel we wouldn't get as much amusement out of this if we were to fight with wooden sticks." She removed her weapon and took a step back.

"First move is all yours, Richard."

Then it hit him. He was actually going to fight her. He was going to use his blade to strike against Kahlan Amnell. He suddenly felt very sick to his stomach. Kahlan stood in front of him, arms crossed, dagger in each hand, and impatience rested on her features.

"Maybe you should change back into Rahl's clothing, perhaps changing into your current," she gestured her hands to his outfit, "attire, has made you lose a little of your nerve." She cocked her head to the side, expression blank. A Confessor's face.

Richard had changed out of his official outfit into his woods guide one. He had fought more often in it, and it felt more comfortable. It also provided him emotional comfort, reminding him of where he came from, of who he really was. Richard had to rebound before Kahlan's impatience soured her playful mood.

He smiled at her, "Just don't want to hurt you, that's all." He knew it was an empty statement, he couldn't hurt Kahlan even if he tried, he held no false illusions to her strength. She scoffed at him, but her one sided smirk quickly returned, soon turning into a full fledged smile. "And besides," he continued, "letting the enemy have the first move? Seems like a deadly mistake, Confessor."

Kahlan lifted an eyebrow, mouth slightly parted, as if she was disgusted with the statement. "Well, Lord Rahl," the title held more venom than she had ever previously used, and he winced, "let's see if I ever do you a favor again."

Before he knew it her dagger was already coming full force towards his throat, and he froze. This was it, Zedd was right, this was really a death match. She was really going to kill him. The instant before her dagger made contact with his throat, she stopped it, and retracted the weapon. This woman could stop a blow in a moments notice.

A smile curled on her lips as she folded her arms and leaned forward, her nose making contact with his. "Now now, Cypher. I could very well have just killed you. Care to explain how I would have been able to take out the Lord Rahl with such a simple move?" He shook his head, nose rubbing against hers. "That's the treatment you get when you become my enemy." He furrowed his eyebrows together, as she lifted one into a graceful arch over her right eye. Then he recalled what he said. "If you reference yourself as an enemy of mine, Seeker, then an enemy you will be." She backed away, resting her arms at her side, and lifted her chin. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat - right where the blade would have made contact if she wasn't so quick with her reflexes.

Richard couldn't stop shaking, and Kahlan stood across from him, unnerved, waiting for him to calm down and come back to his senses. When he looked at her, her face didn't show impatience at all, and all her features were relaxed.

Her voice was soft when she spoke, and Richard had never heard her voice sound so soft before, so concerned. "Ready?" He slightly nodded, regaining his senses as he gripped his sword tighter. He was no longer concerned about possibly hurting her, accidentally striking her - she was quick, smart. He wouldn't be surprised if she knew every move he made before he made it.

She waited. Despite the altercation they just had, she was still letting him make the first move. He silently thanked her with a nod.

And then it began.

He wasn't sure exactly when he swung his blade, or how, but now the constantly clanging of dagger against sword was all he could hear. She was exquisite even when fighting. She used her light weight to increase her speed, and her moves were graceful, but precise. He swung his sword at her, she jumped back only to capture his sword with her daggers. Her arms started to move forward, forcing his weapon to come closer to his face, then she flipped it right over his head, holding his sword behind his back with her daggers keeping it in place. She smiled at him, and he couldn't help but smile back. She continued to hold him in that place, and he relished the feel of her body crashed against his, her breath in his face. She was seducing him even when fighting. He shook his head and used his arms to fling her daggers back at her, freeing his sword. She stumbled back a few paces, not anticipating the move. She smirked.

She spun around, and instead of heading for his upper torso as she had previously been doing, she leaned down and lightly dragged her dagger across the fabric of his shirt that was covering his stomach. Then she stood from her crouched position, and took a step forward, Richard's sword still hanging limply in his hand. He could feel his heart beat in his throat.

"My my, Lord Rahl. I do believe you are now dead." Richard exhaled and lifted his hands in resignation.

She stepped back, head tilted. "Care for another round?"

Richard looked down at the sword in his hand, biting his tongue. He would spar with this woman every second of his life if it meant that much close contact - feeling her body against his. A boyish grin came to his face. Maybe it was time for him to seduce her.

"Of course."

Kahlan didn't grant him the luxury of making the first move, and spun, imitating throwing her dagger at him. Before her move was complete and she could proclaim that she killed him once again, he was already in front of her, grabbing her hand that was pretending to throw the dagger and twisting it to her back, holding it in place. He used his other hand to grab her wrist, which was now descending with the other dagger. The position was awkward, but it did it's purpose. She was now tightly against his body, faces so close it was like they had to steal each others air just to breathe themselves. She made no attempt to counter his move, instead relaxing into the position. It took all Richard had to pull away, letting her hands go free, and step back away from her.

"I seem to have underestimated you, Cypher." He couldn't contain the smile that was now plastered on his face.

"A compliment in fighting from the Mother Confessor herself?"

She grinned, rolling her eyes and sighing. "Not necessarily a compliment, just a statement." He was taking it as a compliment, regardless of what she said.

She turned to walk away, which Richard assumed meant that the matches were over. Then he remembered the sole purpose of why he wanted the match today, and crossed his arms.

"What? Scared to fight me now, Amnell?" He never used her last name as a way to address her before, but he liked the way it rolled off his tongue, and decided that in the future, he'd use it more often.

She turned her body, mouth agape, like the statement truly shocked her. "I'm scared of nothing, Cypher." They both smirked, approaching each other with weapons in hands.

They were quickly battling again, sword against daggers. Richard lost his footing for a second, and Kahlan quickly tripped him. When he hit the ground, she kicked the sword out of his reach, and straddled him, pressing one dagger to his throat, and one to his heart. If it weren't for the weapons, Richard would have found this highly pleasing.

He coughed from the land, thankful that she was moving her dagger with his coughs, and not applying pressure to his throat. She smiled down at him, her hair falling over and creating a wall that blocked out the sunlight. All Richard could see was her face, which was taunting him as she hovered above him.

Still holding her daggers in place, she leaned over, touching her forehead with his. "If pesky confession weren't involved, I would have the right mind to take you as a mate, Richard." His head came reeling back to what he so desperately wanted to know. Her hands weren't aimed to kill, only lightly pressing the daggers to his heart and throat, and she seemed to relax on top of him. Richard took the chance and quickly moved his arms up, forcing her to drop her daggers as he rolled her over and pinned her down to the ground. He settled himself between her legs, his hands having a firm grip on her wrists as he positioned himself directly over her face.

"And who would this mate be, Kahlan?" His voice was serious, sounding more harsh and cold then he intended it to.

Kahlan seemed shocked from the sudden change in positions, and Richard could tell very quickly that she liked being the one in control, and was uneasy now that he was able to call the shots.

"Well?" He inched closer to her face, his nose bumping into hers. He was tempted to relax his grip on her wrists, but knew that the second he did, she would either be back on top of him, or storming out of the courtyard with him lagging behind due to some broken bone. Her legs were free to do as they wished, but in the current position, there weren't many options. She wouldn't be able to move one between his legs to get a hit, and the only thing she could hope to do was seduce him by moving them up his own. Richard set his mind to the task: he was not going to let Kahlan Amnell seduce him. Not now, anyways. Not when he needed to know who this man was.

He finally felt her relax into the grip, and heard her sigh beneath his lips. That alone was enough to make him want to melt into her, but he restrained himself. He continued to stare into her eyes, searching for an answer. She rolled her head the the side, her eyes following suit.

"Fine." She breathed, the word coming out husky and rushed. "His name is Ryan Finn. He's a general in your fine D'Haran army." Her voice was mocking, and Richard wasn't sure if she was mocking him, or his kingdom. Either way, his heart sunk. Now that he had the name he so desperately wished for, the prospect of her being gone became more concrete, more in the immediate future.

He sighed as he slumped against her, not letting go of her wrists. His forehead made contact with hers, and he breathed in her scent. This was as close as they were ever going to be - sparring in the courtyard.

Then he felt it.

Her left leg was slowly making it's way up his, and he dipped his head into her neck, her hair tickling his face. Her right leg repeated the action, until both were able to wrap around his body. Richard hated her in this moment. She was able to take advantage of him so easily, she could seduce him in a heartbeat without even really trying. Then he gave in, and weakened his hold on her wrists. She stayed in the position, not moving, only breathing on his neck. He eventually let go of her wrists all together, and rested his arms on the ground beside her. She moved her hands to his chest. Richard then noticed that her dress, in the adventure her legs had taken, had fallen to reveal her thighs. He moved one of his hands from the ground to play along her boot, gradually making his way to his destination. When he made contact with the flesh, he had to stifle a moan. Her skin was so soft and smooth.

Then the world flew upside down.

Kahlan took the opportunity and flipped him back onto his back, her sitting on top of him, arms crossed, glaring down at him. Richard flopped his hands above his head, giving up. He was stupid to think that something could happen anyways. Whatever punishment she was about to inflict, he deserved it.

"Don't get too carried away, Seeker." She was now mocking him. He felt his head slam against the ground as he sighed. He felt like she was there for hours, sitting on his lap, glaring down at him. He then felt her right hand press against his heart and noticed the shift in weight. She was now leaning over him. She used her other hand to swipe her hair to the left, and leaned into his face.

"If you wanted me that badly, all you had to do was ask."

If this was the punishment she was giving, he would gladly endure.


	7. Interruptions & Interrogations

"And are you sure you want this, Ryan?"

"Yes, Lord Rahl."

"You wish to be the binding force that brings the Midlands and D'Hara together in a peaceful union?"

"Yes, Lord Rahl."

Richard was pacing back and forth, trying to summon questions that could throw Ryan off track. Everything he asked, Ryan answered flawlessly, and with conviction. Richard truly believed that this is what Ryan wanted - peaceful relations with the Midlands. Just like Kahlan wanted. He brought his hand up to the bridge of his nose, attempting to relieve some of the pressure that was building up. He glanced over at Kahlan. She was uninterested in the interrogation, leaning against the wall and staring out the window, twirling a strand of hair in her hand.

He had no idea who Ryan was before this meeting, but then again, Richard wasn't even acquainted with half the generals in his army. Ryan Finn was a typical D'Haran, adorning blonde hair and blue eyes. He had a strong build, and was an inch or two taller than Richard. Ryan was relatively young, and despite his hard exterior, had soft features. When Richard would turn to pace, he would catch Ryan glancing over at Kahlan. Richard recognized the look in his eyes - it was the same look Richard was sure he had when he layed his eyes on Kahlan. This only infuriated him more. He was going to have what he was so close to obtaining. Richard leaned against the doorframe and slid his eyelids closed.

Richard never thought he could hold as much resentment for someone as he held when Zedd interrupted him and Kahlan in the courtyard. After the words spilled from her lips and before she was able to take his mouth with hers, Zedd came stumbling through the courtyard - arms flailing.

"BAGS! What do you two think you are doing!" Kahlan had turned her head to see the oncoming elder, and put her hands on Richard's chest for support as she pushed herself upright. They both seemed to sigh in unison. Richard had never seen his grandfather's face that red before.

Kahlan blew a strand of her hair out of her face before pouting at the old man. "You're ruining all the fun." Richard chuckled as he attempted to sit upright, only to meet Kahlan's hands as she pushed him back onto the ground - still sitting in his lap. Richard could see daggers in Zedd's eyes, but no words came out of his mouth. The wizard was able to finally gather his words.

"Kahlan Amnell! You would risk Richard's soul in a moment of fleeting pleasure?"

Kahlan lifted her eyebrow, "Moment?"

Richard bellowed out a hearty laugh, soliciting a huge smile from Kahlan and a scowl from Zedd. Kahlan tossed her hair over her shoulder, staring up at the old man.

"You underestimate me, Wizard. I wouldn't have let it go that far - there is much fun to be had without confession being the end result." She lifted an eyebrow at him, gesturing with her left hand to shoo him away.

"Mother Confessor!"

"Yes?" She crossed her arms below her breasts, making Richard stifle back the murmer that was creeping it's way up his throat.

"I will not talk to you while you are straddling my grandson's lap."

"Fine, I'll come find you when I'm done." She gestured with her hand again, turning back to Richard, her left sided smirk illuminating her features. The sun shone directly behind her - leaving a halo effect around her whole body.

Zedd's face became red again, and despite his desires, Richard pushed himself up off the ground. Kahlan's face was only inches away from his, and her blue orbs were staring directly into his, as if commanding him to lay back down. Instead, Richard wrapped his arms around her waist, and hoisted her off the ground with him, setting her down beside him as he readjusted his clothing. Kahlan rolled her eyes. She took a few steps towards Zedd and jabbed a finger into his chest.

"Next time, I'll make sure we're in a room. With the door locked." She huffed. She glanced behind her at Richard, shaking her head slightly as she pushed her way through Zedd and returned to the interior of the palace.

Richard sighed as he opened his eyes, rubbing them with the back of his right hand. He turned to look at Ryan, who had been sitting in the same seat and position for over an hour, answering all of Richard's questions. Richard took a few steps forward, glancing over at Kahlan. She was still indifferent to the situation, more entertained by the scenery outside than her fate within the room. Richard was about to change that.

"Do you feel for this woman, General Finn?" Richard could tell by Ryan's expression that he had not expected such a question. Ryan's ears got red and he looked down, fumbling with his hands. Kahlan turned around to look at Richard, her mouth slightly parted and her eyes slinted. She moved her gaze between the two men, a smile creeping on her lips.

"Well?" Richard felt maybe this was the foothold that would allow the entire plan to crumble.

"I .. I .. well .." Ryan stumbled over his words, scratching his neck and looking cautiously over at Kahlan. She showed no emotion. "I think only a fool wouldn't be mesmerized by her beauty. Aren't you, Lord Rahl?" Ryan's eyes grew wide in shock, realizing what he just said. He lowered his head in his hands, shaking it from side to side.

"No need to fret, Ryan. Her beauty is obvious." Ryan looked up at Richard, his eyes showing his relief. "But, I asked if you felt for this woman. Not how you react to her looks."

Ryan looked down, seeming confused. He let out a sigh. "I don't really know her, Lord Rahl. I'm sure she's an amazing woman, especially if her beauty is any testament towards it. I know that once I'm confessed, it won't matter whether or not I had feelings for her previously, I just know that I want D'Hara and the Midlands to be at peace. Our army brought those people many hardships. We shed so much of their blood .." he trailed off, mumbling to himself. Kahlan walked behind him and rested a hand on his shoulder. Richard felt a pang of jealousy.

"Thank you, General Finn. You can go now." Ryan was more than pleased to remove himself from this situation, and Richard was more than pleased to let him go. Right before Ryan made his way to the door, he turned and picked up Kahlan's hand in his, lifting it up to his lips to place a light kiss. "Goodbye, Mother Confessor." She held a tight smile and nodded her head, letting her hand drop from his embrace. He smiled and walked out of the room.

Richard slumped his shoulders as he let his hands rest on the desk. He glanced up at Kahlan. She hadn't moved from her position, seeming to wait for him to speak. Richard felt the heat move to his face, and he was suddenly very enraged - at Ryan, at the situation. At Kahlan.

He stormed out of the room.


	8. Turning Point

Richard didn't know how long he was laying on his bed when he heard the knock on the door. He closed his eyes and sighed. He didn't want any visitors. He was still reeling from his anger after the interrogation. He rolled over onto his stomach before yelling not to come in. He clenched his eyes shut as he heard the door open anyways. He rolled onto his back and sat up.

It was Kahlan.

He exhaled and flopped back onto the bed, rubbing his eyes with his fingers. When he lifted his head to look again, she was still standing there, arms crossed. She switched back to her traveler's outfit. He felt she was taunting him with her thighs again. He cursed himself for getting so close to them before he stood up.

Kahlan cocked her head to the side and pushed him back onto the bed, standing before him.

"You, Richard Cypher, have got some explaining to do."

"Kahlan .." He began, trying to find the words to apologize for storming out earlier - he had no right to get angry at her. She needed to do this, to find a mate.

"No." The authority in her voice made him come fully alert, eyes now glued to her. "Don't apologize." Her blue eyes sparkled with the faint light that was coming in from the window. It was almost night. Richard felt his tongue get thick and worked it around his mouth.

"I .." He dropped his head, burying his hands in his hair. He knew where this conversation was headed, and he quickly tried to find an escape route. She was directly in his way - and there's no way he'd be able to get past her. Like he even wanted to.

She stood there, arms crossed, looking down at him. He looked up into her blues and made a sad smile, her face blank. He hated that he couldn't read her features, that she held up the Confessor's face so often when he wanted to know her true emotions. However, since the weeks they've been together, he was able to read her body. More than anything, he wanted to be able to touch it.

"Kahlan, I .."

"You what?" Her gaze was intense, her eyes questioning. He felt as if he were under inspection, that any little move he made could tell her a thousand words. He swallowed what he was going to say, and instead replaced it with a different statement - one that held as much truth as the words he had thought.

"I don't like Ryan." She raised her eyebrow at him, her eyes darting to the right as her mouth opened to speak.

"And why is that?" Her voice was patronizing.

"Because -"

"Because he isn't you." Richard's heart stopped. He exhaled as he stood in front of her, awkwardly placing his arms at his sides. He started moving his head in an attempt to say something, but instead it ended up just swaying, and he settled with looking intently at the ground. He saw her boots come into his line of sight as she placed her hand under his chin to force him to look into her eyes.

"Maybe that's why I don't like him either." Mischief danced in her eyes. Richard had to remember to breathe, and his eyes drifted from hers to her lips. When she noticed his redirection, she drew in her bottom lip between her teeth, causing Richard to wince. She smiled, and his boyish grin came creeping into place.

"You know," she took a step forward, grabbing his vest in her hands, "I think I prefer your woods guide clothing to this." Her fingers traced over the red cloth, her eyes connecting with his. "You should take it off."

He chuckled as he felt her breath on his face, and he knew that this could only lead somewhere horribly wrong. He couldn't wait.

She took a tighter grip on his vest and pulled him closer to her, her lips lightly brushing against his. "This is very, very bad." He smiled as he nodded his agreement, wrapping his arms around her waist to close the very little distance they had between them. She smiled as she used one hand to trace along his jaw, lightly grabbing his chin between her thumb and index finger.

She looked up at him through her lashes, "Very bad." She closed the distance, and soon her arms were wrapping around his neck. He quickly opened his mouth to invite her tongue, and the battle for dominance began. His hands roamed along her back, wishing that instead of meeting fabric, they met her skin. The battle was over soon, her tongue winning. She always won. Her hands started to bury into his hair as she became more aggressive, Richard's hands finding their way to her hips, desperately trying to pull her closer.

Richard found himself gasping for air when she pulled away, taking a step back to disconnect their bodies altogether. He could hardly believe what just happened, and when his eyes met her face, he took in a deep breath.

She gestured with her hands to his D'Haran vest. "This won't do." He looked at her with a confused expression before she continued.

"Off."

Dear Spirits. This woman was going to kill him with her voice alone. He ran the word through his head over and over, wondering if he really had heard her request. Her demand. Who was he to deny the Mother Confessor, anyway? Before his mind set itself on a course of action, Kahlan was already working to take it off. She unbuttoned it quickly, leaning into him to discard the garment over his arms, letting it drop to the floor. She lifted her chin.

"Much better." Her hands started roaming his torso, and he was sure she could feel him shivering under her touch. Desire started to cloud his mind. This was what he wanted, this is what he desperately wished could happen, and now it was. And now he was rethinking it. He may want Kahlan Amnell more than he has ever wanted anything in his life - but was he willing to forfeit his soul? Everything he is? He faltered and stepped away from her, furrowing his eyebrows together.

"Kahlan .." He was going to regret this. A smile danced along her lips. He was really going to regret this. The smile fell, and her eyebrows scrunched together as she started to back away from him.

"Kahlan?" He watched as she turned her back on him, walking towards the door. She must feel like he just rejected her, but that wasn't it. He just .. he couldn't give up his soul to be with her, surely she had to understand that. Right when he thought she was going to walk out, she turned around to look at him, half smirk present.

She reached towards the door, and locked it.


	9. Giving In

He was going to lose his soul. He had come to terms with it, and was now accepting just what was happening. Or, more accurately, his body was coming to terms with it.

After Kahlan had locked the door, he knew he was a goner. She wanted him and he wanted her - there was no way for him to find a way out of this situation. He honestly didn't want to. After this, he would be her mate. No use in confessing Ryan as well, especially when Richard was already there and willing. Thoughts tumbled through his head as Kahlan directed him to a seat on the bed, moving to straddle his lap. Richard breathed in her scent and watched her with heavy eyes as she made herself comfortable. Her fingers locked behind his neck as she pressed her forehead against his.

"Oh, Cypher. Stop contemplating all the consequences," she moved her head to his ear, her hair falling to the right side of her head, "I promise you won't lose your soul. A little kissing and touching can't do much harm now, can it?" Richard felt his shoulders relax, she wasn't going to claim his soul. She was still going to claim Ryan's. He clenched his eyes shut and his hands found their way to her hips, drawing her closer to him as his mouth caught her neck. She stirred with the surprise, but soon arched her neck to give him more access. He trailed hot kisses on the exposed flesh, suddenly very upset that her dress was still on. It was for the best. if the dress came off he had no chance in keeping his soul. She fully in control on what was going to happen, and she knew it.

She placed the palms of her hands on his chest, one pulling the pendent he wore, urging him to continue. He smiled against her skin. He was sure he was going to leave a mark. It thrilled him. Still kissing her neck, he moved his hands from her hips up to her torso, right before the cups of her corset. Her hands found their way to his neck, pulling his face up to meet hers, her legs lifting as she positioned herself over him, gently pushing him back. Seeing her thighs exposed through her dress pushed him right over the edge. He made a quick move to sit up, circle his arm around her waist, and flip her onto her back. She let out a groan when she hit the bed.

Before she could object or make a move to be the one in control, Richard captured her mouth in a deep kiss. He supported his weight on his left arm as his right went to fumble with her boot, managing to pull it down enough so that she could kick it off. He then switched his weight and mirrored the action with her right boot. Kahlan grabbed a fist full of hair as she deepened the kiss, her left leg moving up until he could feel her knee on his ribs. He sighed into her lips, and then, as expected, she flipped him over.

She settled herself on top of him while pursing her lips. Her hair was messy and tangled, and Richard felt excitement knowing that it was tousled because of him. Before the night was up, he was going to make sure he buried his hands deep into her dark mass of hair. She waved her index finger at him, mouthing 'no, no, no' before flipping her hair to the side.

Richard wanted more of her to access.

He sat up and started undoing the laces of her jacket, Kahlan watching intently as he did so, seemingly not surprised by the action. When the jacket was fully unlaced, she shrugged it off her shoulders. Richard grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers. He used his other hand to place it behind her neck, drawing her in to a kiss as they both fell back onto the bed.

Richard willingly let Kahlan take control, letting her shift above his body and relishing the feel of her hands on his burning skin. She soon digressed from his lips and started moving to kiss his neck. Richard moved his hand and buried it deep into her hair, drawing little circles with his fingers at the base of her neck. A tiny giggle escaped her throat.

Richard smiled, chuckling. He rested his head on the bed, letting Kahlan do as she wished. He tried to keep his body under control. It wouldn't take long before he'd want to bury himself inside of her. He tried to force his mind to wander, but was always brought back to the feeling of Kahlan nibbling and sucking at his skin. It was enough to drive a man mad. He was sure she'd leave a mark. That thrilled him as well. She started to move down his chest, leaving a trail of hot, messy kisses. When she reached his hips, she placed light butterfly kisses along them, making sure not to displace his pants. She crawled her way back up his body and leaned over, swiping her hair out of her face as she planted more light kisses along his jawline, Richard smiling like a child. She continued her way up his jawline until she hit his earlobe, where she bit down playfully.

Richard couldn't contain his laugh, and he snaked an arm around her as he rolled her back over. She took his tooth pendent in her hands, slightly rolling it and tugging at it, her legs on either side of Richard. He smiled as he leaned down to kiss her - not one of deep passion or lust, but one that was quite chaste. When he lifted his head and looked into her blue eyes, she was smiling. Genuinely smiling. He imitated her, placing light kisses all over her face while her hands made moves to bat him away - lightly hitting him as she stifled her giggles.

Richard was ecstatic he could make her giggle like a little girl. Make her smile.

He dipped his head and started placing light kiss all along her throat and shoulder. Her right arm rested on his back, drawing images on him with her nails. When he playfully bit down, she jumped beneath him, her left leg moving up on instinct. Richard grabbed it, slowly moving his hand down to her ankle. With just his fingertips, he moved his hand up her leg to her knee. When he reached her thigh, he started drawing patterns. She leaned up to place a kiss on his neck, slightly jerking underneath him as his fingers danced along her flesh. When he reached up to her waist, he tightly gripped her with one hand as he rolled over, allowing her to be dominant once again.

She leaned down and kissed him, grabbing his tooth pendent and dragging him up with her as she made herself upright again.

"See?" She breathed, her voice husky and strained. "A little kissing and touching can't do much harm." She leaned against him, breathing on his mouth. Hot, short breaths.

He smiled, "I don't know about that, Amnell." She playfully hit his shoulder as he enveloped her in his arms, dragging her back to the bed. He maneuvered them to where they were on their sides, facing each other.

She smirked at him while she squirmed. "We should do that more often."

Richard laughed as his hand found it's way to her leg, which was now fully exposed due to the angle she was in. He used his fingers to dance along her once again, and she grabbed his pendent and used it as leverage to draw him into a kiss.

"We should keep this a secret." She looked up into his eyes, lifting her chin and smiling.

He chuckled as he pulled her into him. She fit perfectly against his body, her head nestled neatly into the crook of his neck. His hands started playing along the stray strands of her hair, which was now tangled beyond belief. He kissed her hairline.

"I think that's a good idea." He felt her smile against his skin. "Spirits, if Zedd knew about this .."

She cut him off, "He never will." She leaned out of his embrace and smiled her half sided smirk. "I should get going. It will be awfully suspicious if I come sneaking out of the room at some late hour."

Richard didn't want to see her go, but he sat on the bed and watched her dress herself again. He had offered to help, but she just pushed his hands away, saying if he were to help, she'd end up losing even more clothing. When he stood up to say goodbye, she tugged on his pendent and met her lips with his. He watched her walk out the door with a huge smile on his face and his mind racing.

He looked down at the tooth that resided around his neck. He picked it up in his hand, tossing it around gently. Kahlan loved to use this to pull him closer to her, to kiss him. He would never look at this necklace the same again.


	10. Discoveries

Richard rubbed his eyes as he went through the large stack of papers sitting on his desk. He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, his mind racing after the interactions with Kahlan. He had been slacking on keeping up with the work since Kahlan had walked into this very room. He was now dealing with the consequences.

He sighed as he flipped through the papers, trying to find ones that were urgent. He planned on ignoring the majority of the writing, focusing on only the immediate things, hoping to later snag Kahlan and venture behind locked doors once again. Richard rubbed his temples.

"My boy, how are you this fine morning?" Richard glared up at his grandfather, showing disdain for the elder's chipper mood.

"Been up all night, Richard?" The bags under Richard's eyes were very apparent, his movements slower due to lack of sleep. He bit his tongue to suppress his retort. He still was bitter from Zedd stopping their wrestling match in the courtyard.

Even if he got to wrestle with her in his bed.

The memory brought a boyish grin to his face accompanied by a chuckle, and his grandfather looked down on him, eyebrows scrunching and nose wriggling.

"My boy, I fear all this paperwork has made you temporarily lose your mind. Perhaps you should take a break? Eat something?" Richard shook his head, burying his hands in his hair as his head slumped.

"There's so much, Zedd. I had no idea ruling D'Hara would require this much paperwork. The cooks asking what should be served at the dinners, the army asking whether they should stay put or advance. The list goes on and on. I was gravely mistaken. Taking over Darken Rahl's thrown and suppressing fighting to bring peace is not all that the Lord Rahl entails." Richard picked up a few more papers, scanning them and quickly getting frustrated, throwing them back onto the desk. All the ink seemed to be coming together. He couldn't focus his eyes, let alone read more than a word or two without his head pounding.

Zedd walked around the desk and set a hand on his back, "You need to relax, take a break before you lose your mind." His grandfather walked out of the door, closing it softly.

Richard could hear the clatter in the palace, and it was only making his head throb even more. He squeezed the bridge of his nose, eyes clamped shut, face scrunching. He wanted nothing more than to lay down in his bed and sleep. Possibly with Kahlan. He heard the door open and cringed, the sound of it scraping against the floor ringing in his ears. He didn't bother to look up. It was probably another maidservant coming in to ask him if he wanted anything. He didn't. All he wanted was peace and quiet. He jumped when he felt the slender arms wrap around his neck from behind.

Richard sighed as he felt Kahlan's hair tumble onto his face as she placed a light kiss on his neck. Her hands started to fumble with his pendent and he smiled as she pressed herself further against his back.

"Looks like fun." He heard the sarcasm in her voice - which, surprisingly enough, wasn't making his head pound. In fact, his headache seemed to disappear altogether. His smile grew. He picked up a few more papers, waving them around in a dramatic fashion.

"So very much, Amnell." He heard her chuckle, her head right by his ear. She peered over his shoulder and read some of the articles, sighing.

"You know," she started tracing her fingers along his shirt. He decided that he was going to wear his woods guide clothing more often after Kahlan's proclamation that she liked it better on him. His arm lifted as he started stroking her forearm with his hand. "I'm sure I can come up with something more fun to do." Richard chuckled. Oh, the truth in that statement. Before he could spill out an argument, defend his stance on actually getting work done instead of giving in to her womanly wiles, she was already pushing stacks of papers off the desk, making a terrible mess. He dropped his head back and sighed, looking back at her to see her getting situated on the desk in front of him. She sat, smirking, and beckoned him with a finger.

He was sure refusing the Mother Confessor was a crime. That was going to be his justification when someone asked him why the papers were disheveled, why nothing was done. He cocked his head as he pushed himself off the chair, suddenly very alert. He took a step forward and he was already in contact with her, legs pressing together. Richard stood there, unsure of exactly what to do. She was calling the shots - she always was. And Richard was more than happy to follow her lead. He clasped his hands behind his back and mirrored her smirk, waiting to see what she would do, what she wanted.

She was wearing her white Confessor's dress again, which made Richard oddly suspicious. Last time she wore that dress she announced she found a mate. Last time she wore that dress they came dangerously close to doing some very private things in a very public place.

She sighed and rolled her head up, seeming to be interested in the ceiling. She arched her back forward and parted her legs. She placed her hands on top of one another in the newly emptied space, rocking back and forth as she observed the room. Her eyes finally met his once again and she let out a sigh, pouting.

"I beckon. You come. That's how it works, Seeker."

"Oh really, Confessor?"

She opened her mouth in mock surprise, lifting one of her hands to her chest to make the movement more theatrical. She scoffed and moved her head to the right, mouth still agape. She started to push herself off the desk.

"The Lord Rahl himself, trying to deny-"

Richard cut her off with his lips, gently lifting her back to her previous position on the desk. He pulled back, looking into her blue orbs before smirking at her.

"Deny you what, Kahlan?" She pouted, lowering her eyebrows and glaring at him like a child throwing a tantrum.

"What I want." She huffed, crossing her arms.

"And what do you want, Mother Confessor?" He taunted, rubbing his nose against hers. She perked up, back erect, smile on her face.

"You." He laughed as he kissed her again, this time less innocently. His tongue begged her lips for entrance, teasing the corners of her mouth. She giggled while lifting her legs and positioning them on either side of Richard, her hands pulling at his necklace to get him to come closer. He obliged. She rested her hands on his chest and gently pushed him away. She pouted once again, brows furrowing together as she wiggled around on the desk.

"You," she jabbed her finger into his chest while pulling him closer with his pendent, making the contact sharper and more painful, "better not think of denying me anything again. Ever." Her last jab was more forceful, causing him to jump back a little only to be roped back in on her hold of his necklace. He coughed as his hand pulled on hers, bringing it away from poking him once again.

"Kahlan, you know I can't deny you anything." He was rubbing her small hand in his larger one, the pad of his thumb brushing over her soft skin. Her eyes sparkled, smile on her face.

"Promise?" She teased, pulling his nose to make contact with hers once again.

"Promise." He vowed, lifting his chin to place a kiss on the tip her nose. She smiled, biting her bottom lip. She tilted her head and placed a small kiss on his jawline. Richard brushed her hair off her neck, exposing the delicious flesh. He started laughing. Kahlan pulled her head back, mouth slightly parted as her eyes questioned him, brows furrowing together again. She then gasped and started playfully pushing him away. She pointed at him accusingly.

"You did this! You are lucky my hair is think and long, or else this," she pointed to the mark on her neck, the one he was so thrilled about leaving last night, "would be incredibly difficult to hide!" She punched his shoulder, scowl on her face. Richard threw his head back, laughing heartily. Her shock grew, her jaw dropping open as her face heated. She slid off the desk and pushed him into his chair, him still laughing. She leaned over him, grabbed his pendent, and drew his face up to hers.

"This is amusing to you." It wasn't a question, but a statement. Richard's laughing stopped quickly as he composed himself. She pursed her lips. He bit his tongue. She smiled a rather malevolent smile before bringing her face closer to his. "If you want to ever do that again," his eyes flickered to the mark on her neck, "make sure I can cover it with this dress." She let go of the pendent and crossed her arms, looking down at him. He started laughing again as she scowled and walked out of the room.

"Kahlan? Amnell!" He struggled to get her attention through his laughs and was relieved when she turned on the second calling. He drew in a few deep breaths, suppressing his laughter and looking at her from across the room.

"I can't deny you anything, remember?" She smiled as she turned to leave, facing him as she closed the door.

Richard slumped into his chair, mind suddenly clearer than a cloudless day. He looked at his desk, which was in shambles. Papers that were once neatly stacked were now scrambled everywhere, some littering the floor. He bent down to retrieve the ones that had fallen onto the marble when one particular paper caught his eye. It was from an army commander that was stationed to the west, right outside the D'Haran border.

'URGENT.' Through all the papers Richard sifted through, none had proclaimed such a statement. 'We believe a very dangerous man has gotten through the border. He claimed himself to be a general and was adorning the dress of one in his command. We have captured some Sisters of the Dark. After spending time with one of our Mord'Sith, they revealed they had sent someone into D'Hara to take down Lord Rahl. They say he has considerable magic. His name is believed to be Ryan Finn.'

Richard felt his blood boil.


	11. Rage

Richard wasn't exactly sure where he was going, but his feet were leading him throughout the palace. His hands were clenched in fists and his head seemed on fire. His mind was reeling. It wasn't so much the threat to himself that was concerning him. It was the threat to Kahlan. She was going to mate this man, this supposed Ryan Finn. The man who has been accused of being deadly with magic - something he wasn't even faintly familiar with - and with the intent to kill him. Richard's thoughts went immediately to how he could have schemed into being Kahlan's mate, that that was the reason he did it - to get closer to Lord Rahl. He crashed through a door hoping that this time he would find the traitor, only to lay his eyes on an empty room. Since he read the letter, Richard had been wreaking havoc on the palace, busting in through doors and making a scene. When someone asked him what he was doing, where he was going, he would just push through them and continue his search. He was seeing red.

Richard had been through almost every corridor in the People's Palace and couldn't find Ryan anywhere. He knew that Zedd was keeping him in the palace, supposedly preparing him to be Kahlan's mate. He wasn't sure what there could be preparing for, he thought the process was simple enough. He'd be confessed anyway, he wouldn't need preparing. He'd be ordered around like a puppet. Richard cringed at thinking of Kahlan ordering him to her bed.

Servants were now parting, quickly getting out of the way when they saw Richard storming through the halls, having heard of his current enraged state. He thought his anger would calm slightly after time, but his temper was only growing substantially. He threw open a door, huffing as he rushed through the room, eyes darting.

There he was.

Ryan was sitting across from Zedd, nodding at something his grandfather had said. Richard felt his face redden as he stalked forward, Zedd standing to make his way to him.

"Richard! What is wrong?" He was distressed, seeking desperately for an answer. Richard could only stare daggers into Ryan, who was now looking around cautiously, eyes widening. Richard pushed his grandfather aside and closed the distance between the two within a few steps. He grabbed Ryan by the shirt, shoving him against the nearest wall.

"And what's the real reason you're here, Ryan! I heard you want to kill me! What does that have to do with becoming Kahlan's mate, hm!" Richard was yelling directly into Ryan's face and had to take deep breaths when his sentences were finished. Ryan's eyes grew wider and he opened his mouth to defend himself. Richard shoved him against the wall again, Ryan wincing as his head hit the marble.

"My boy, what are you doing!" Zedd rushed over, attempting to pry Richard's hands off of Ryan's shirt to no avail. Richard had a death grip on the man, and he wasn't intending to let go until he was sure that Ryan's body would hid the ground with a dead thud.

"Well!" Richard yelled, shaking him as he did so. When Ryan didn't respond, Richard threw him to the ground. Ryan slid on the floor, back hitting a leg of the table. He cried out in pain.

"I didn't .." Ryan gasped for air, attempting to find a way to hold his back in his current position, but always failing to make his hands do what he wished. "I'm not here to .. hurt .. you." He breathed, face scrunching as he curled up in a ball. Richard walked over to him, hands in fists.

"Really now!" Richard was leaning over the man, pressing his foot into Ryan's side, occasionally adding excruciating pressure. "Then what are you here for!" Ryan looked up at him through glassy eyes, tears starting to fall down his cheeks.

"Lord Rahl," Ryan yelped when Richard pressed his weight down on his ribs, "I just .. want peace .. for the .. Midlands .. and .. D'Hara. That's .. all." Ryan attempted to roll over, but Richard leaned down to grab him by his shirt, hoisting him up.

"Then why did I receive a warning about you - about how you were sent by Sister of the Dark? About how you are in possession of magic? About how you are here to kill me?" Richard shoved him onto the table, turning to his grandfather who was now racing to Ryan's side.

"Richard!" Zedd hovered over Ryan, scanning him with magic to see if there were any wounds. "Richard, this is ridiculous! There are no Sisters of the Dark, only Sisters of the Light. And they live in the Old World!" Zedd's face was red with fury, still checking to see if Ryan had any serious wounds. Richard prayed the the spirits that he did.

"Then why would I get a notice from the army out west!" Richard's arms shot down to his sides, fists ready to attack when necessary. Zedd slowly turned to look at him, hands dropping from Ryan.

"Out west?"

"Yes!" Richard snapped. Zedd stepped away from Ryan, looking suspiciously at him before returning his gaze to his grandson.

"And do you know it is authentic?"

Richard sighed, "Of course it is authentic! It is in Cara's handwriting!" Zedd seemed taken aback, moving away from Ryan with speed. Ryan rolled on the table, grabbing his ribs and letting out small moans. The sight disgusted Richard. Then a thought occurred.

"Zedd?" His grandfather met his gaze. "If he is in possession of powerful magic, why weren't you able to detect it?" Zedd looked around nervously, dry washing his hands.

"I just assumed the gift was stronger in him."

"The gift?" Zedd approached Richard, but he backed away, suspicion now flaring.

"Everyone is born with the gift, Richard. We all have a spark of magic inside of us. Wizards just have more, have fine tuned it. Ryan doesn't have enough magic to be a wizard, but he has more than a normal person would. I didn't think much of it."

Richard blinked, stepping even further back as he brought his hands to his head. "Zedd! He is D'Haran! They are all scared of magic! Did that even cross your mind!"

"Just because they are scared of magic doesn't mean they aren't born with it!" Zedd yelled. Richard sighed and closed his eyes, bringing his hand to the bridge of his nose. He didn't understand magic at all.

"And this," he gestured over to Ryan, who was now sitting up, head hanging low,"a common occurrence? Being born with more magic than .. normal?" Zedd sighed and tried to explain how the gift was different in everybody, how some had it stronger than others. Richard was only half listening. He did not like how Ryan was now sitting up. That means he could breathe to some extent. This would not do.

Before Zedd could stop him, Richard was already at the table, bringing Ryan's center straight down into his knee. Richard moved to the side as Ryan fell over, blood spurting out of his mouth. The world seemed to stop around him, everything moving slower as he glared down at Ryan. He was clutching his stomach and coughing up blood, trying desperately to gain air. Richard was certain he was now seriously injured. Richard kicked him in the ribs before Zedd was able to grab his arm and pull him around.

Richard heard no sound, just saw his grandfather yelling 'no! stop!' in his face. All he could hear was his heartbeat, which was surprisingly calm and steady. His grandfather started shaking him, trying to get him out of the trance he was in.

He saw a white figure glide past the doorway, quickly backtracking and rushing her way into the room. She pushed Zedd out of the way and placed her hands on his face, her eyes searching his.

Kahlan.

He blinked a few times and the world seemed to fall in place around him. When Kahlan saw him come back down, she glanced over at Ryan. He was motionless. Kahlan's hands gripped Richard's forearms as she slightly slumped forward, head pressing against his collarbone.

"Richard," she whispered, her voice held no contempt, "what have you done?" Richard's eyes grew in shock. Yes, he did want the man dead, but he didn't want to kill him. Richard started panicking, pushing Kahlan away as his hands locked behind his head, eyes frantically darting in all directions. He had just killed a man. Richard didn't even have to look to know that Ryan was dead. He had a strong build, but Richard's blows were concentrated, precise, strong. He sighed as he looked at Kahlan with watery eyes.

"I .." He tried to speak but his throat was dry. Kahlan's gaze held no resentment. She wasn't mad at him. She was the Mother Confessor and she wasn't mad that he killed a man? A man who was to be her mate? A man who her and Zedd searched high and low for? She should be mad. She should be upset. If Richard had previously told her about this, he'd understand her uncaring attitude towards the situation - but he hadn't. He hadn't spoke a word to anybody. Was she that used to seeing death? Did she even care? He saw her eyes start to glisten, her hands fumbling with the fabric on her dress as she looked around the room. She clenched her eyes shut and raised a trembling hand to wipe off the excess tears. She cared. Richard's heart dropped in his stomach. Kahlan walked up to him and numbly pressed against him. She cared. About Richard. He felt his heart swell only to have it drop again. He lightly wrapped his arms around her.

Kahlan separated them, smiling sadly as she took his face in her hands, rubbing it with the pads of her thumbs. Zedd stood behind her, still in shock at the actions that had taken place. She took a step back, turning to walk away from the scene. His grandfather was glued to his place, unable to move. Richard blinked away the tears coming to his eyes. He heard Kahlan's footsteps stop and he looked up at her. She turned around to say something.

The last thing Richard saw was Kahlan screaming his name while running towards him before everything went black.


	12. Twists of Fate

His head hurt. A dull, throbbing pain was coursing through him. He tried to open his eyes but his lids were heavy. He finally managed to flicker them open, wincing at the light. Someone was gripping his hand. He rolled his head to the left and his eyes focused in on the figure.

Kahlan was sitting in a chair by the bed, her right hand gripping his as her head was resting on her left fist. She was breathing steadily, her eyes fluttering slightly in her sleep. He smiled to himself.

"My boy! Thank the spirits!" Zedd boomed, rushing over to Richard from his position across the room. Kahlan jumped, releasing Richard's hand as she took a few breaths. She looked over at him and tears swelled in her eyes.

"Richard!" She leaned over the bed, placing light kisses all over his face. Richard turned his lips in a small smile, completely taken aback with her obvious display of affection right in front of his grandfather. She grasped his face in her hands and leaned in so their foreheads were touching. "Cypher, don't you ever think of dying on me again." He chuckled, but the pain in his side was strong and he ended up coughing, holding his eyes shut. When he reopened them, he saw the guilt run past Kahlan's eyes as she resettled herself in the chair, tucking a leg under her while she wrapped her arms around the other, resting her head on her knee.

His grandfather was next with the greetings, flailing his arms around in usual fashion. "We thought you'd never wake up!"

Kahlan perked her head up and scolded at him. "You thought he'd never wake up." She shifted a little in her seat before resting her head on her knee again. Zedd shot her a cold look.

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that you are alive, Richard! Thank the spirits Kahlan was there!" Richard blinked his eyes a bit more, adjusting to the light in the room. His hand reached down to his ribs. Before he blacked out, he was dimly aware of the blade that struck his side. His hand met smooth skin - no wounds.

"You healed me?" He managed to choke out before the pain overtook him again and he started coughing. He saw Kahlan twitch out of the corner of his eye. He wished she would look at him.

"Of course I did, my boy! Was I to let my grandson bleed to death in front of me?" Zedd crossed his arms and lifted his chin, acting insulted at the question.

"Then why do I feel so much," he coughed again, his body slight wracking and moving into a ball, "pain?"

Kahlan replaced her head with her chin and was now looking at Richard with glassy eyes.

"The healing took a lot of out you. Your body is still adjusting. You didn't look like you got much sleep earlier in the day either, that probably attributes to why your body is in so much pain."

Richard then remembered he'd gotten virtually no sleep the night before. Between Kahlan visiting his room, her visiting his office and then the situation with Ryan, he imagined his body was in a lot weaker condition then Zedd let on. Richard scrunched his eyebrows together.

"You've been asleep for two days." Kahlan's voice wasn't more than a whisper, her eyes diverting away from him and finding refuge in watching her hands tug at the hem of her dress.

Two days. He looked at his grandfather. Zedd appeared well rested. His clothing was clean, his hair washed - yet unruly. But no less was to be expected. His face bore no sign of exhaustion. He rolled his head to the left to look at Kahlan. Dark bags were under her eyes, which were rimmed with red. Her hair wasn't necessarily dirty, but it hadn't been washed and was adorned with frizz, her hair more tangled than curled. She hadn't changed out of her dress.

Two days. That's how long Kahlan sat by his side holding his hand. That's how long she didn't sleep. That's how long she was worried if he ever woke up. Richard reached out and tugged on the arm that was wrapped around her leg. She let her arm fall into his grasp, and he gently clutched at her hand, giving gentle squeezes. He wished he didn't wake up when he did - that was probably the only sleep she had gotten. He smiled at her and she nodded lightly, sniffling.

"Ryan admits to everything." Zedd started, pacing at the foot of Richard's bed. "You were right. The letter was authentic. I have no doubt Cara will come bursting through these doors any moment now. There are Sisters of the Dark. How did they become the way they are? How did they get out of the Old World?" Zedd was thinking out loud, his questions not directed to anyone. Richard turned his head towards him.

"Ryan?"

"He's being held in one of the rooms in the dungeon." Zedd flicked his hand, acting like the information was irrelevant.

"What happened?" Richard was glad he could talk without feeling like the air was being pushed out of his lungs. It was a relief.

Zedd spun his head towards Richard and stopped his pacing. "Oh, I'm sorry my boy. Like I said before, thank the spirits Kahlan was there. When she saw him draw out the knife and went running towards you, it was too late, the blade quickly claimed you."

Richard's eyebrows scrunched together. He looked over at Kahlan, her eyes brimming with fresh tears. "How is that .. good?" He was confused. His grandfather treated the subject lightly, and there was a part of the story he knew he wasn't healing.

"She confessed him before he could do further damage." Richard shot up in the bed, Kahlan starting to reach for him. He swatted her hands away as he grabbed at his side - the side the blade had slid into.

"She confessed him!" Richard's voice was louder than he expected, and he was surprised at the sheer velocity of it.

"She had to." Zedd looked confused. "If she hadn't, he would have surely killed you. She didn't have time to grab her daggers. Confession was the only option." Richard was fuming, his heart beating so hard he swore it would burst. He looked frantically between the two of him.

"She confessed him!" He yelled again. Kahlan lowered her head and he could see her body wrenching, trying to stifle back a sob. He sunk his head in his hands as his elbows rested on his knees. He was starting to feel the effects of his outrage, his body getting weak on him. "She confessed him." He hoarsely whispered, defeat threatening to take over his whole body.

Zedd nodded as he continued pacing. Kahlan slumped over herself in the chair, seeming to want to hide away from everyone in the room. Richard stayed in his position.

"What now? What happens to Ryan?" He dared to ask. He saw panic in Kahlan's eyes when she looked over to him. Realization hit him. He now wish he would have succeeded in killing Ryan.

"He's already confessed - he will still make a good mate for Kahlan." Zedd said nonchalantly as he was routinely walking around the rug.

"No." Both turned to look at Richard's face, which was stern. He felt the rage boiling up inside him, this time directed at Zedd. He had to get a hold on it before he went overboard. "No." He repeated again.

Zedd shook his head, seeming to disbelieve what his grandson was saying. "He's confessed. No use in confessing another man."

Richard looked up at his grandfather. "No."

"Bags, Richard! This is not up to you!"

"Yes it is!" Richard yelled, throwing his arms on the bed, making fists. He pointed at finger at Zedd. "That man will not be Kahlan's mate. He is an imposter. An imposter who tried to kill me. He was sent by Sisters of the Dark. He is a criminal. You yourself agreed that Kahlan should be with a man of standing - he is of no standing. Kahlan fought with you the very first day she was here on this matter. I will not let you just hand her over to a man like that. If I hold no stock in the union, either will the Midlands. Either will D'Hara."

"Richard, this choice is not up to you."

Richard's gaze turned dark and intense. "If you try to make her go through with this - to take Ryan as a mate, I want you to be fully aware that I will send the entire D'Haran army into the Midlands to kill him."

Kahlan's eyes grew wide and Richard saw her stop breathing for a moment. Zedd's gaze matched his own as he leaned over and planted his fists on the bed.

"You will do no such thing."

"You don't have the authority to tell me what to do."

"I am your grandfather."

"You aren't acting like one." Richard snapped, venom lacing his words. Zedd's eyes hardened as he stood up, crossing his arms.

"Dear one," Zedd directed his words to Kahlan, who now seemed to be desperately searching for a way out of this situation. "you are going to take Ryan as a mate."

Kahlan clenched her eyes shut as Richard watched her. His eyes pleaded with hers as she opened them. "He's my Wizard .." she trailed off. Confessors were linked to Wizards. He was the only Wizard of the First Order left. She was the only Confessor. She was the Mother Confessor. The whole reason she came here was because of her duty, not how she felt. The same applied here. If Zedd told her she would take Ryan as a mate - she would. Richard decided that he was going to make a stand, a stand for her - a stand she refused to make because of her obligation to duty.

"No, she's not." Richard was going to fight this to the death if he had to. Preferably, Ryan's death. Zedd's eyes locked on him as he again leaned on the bed, fists supporting him.

"Richard Cypher, this is not your decision, no matter how badly you want it to be. Your feelings for this woman are irrelevant. You can't have her. You'll never have her. You will only hurt her by defending her and trying to convince her she can have a better life. This is as good as it gets. No one knows of Ryan's deceit. You can inform the army to the west that it was a mistake. No one outside of the three of us knows what happened. All will still think it's a legitimate bond. You will not send the army out to such a frivolous task. You are fighting for a lost cause. And her name is Kahlan Amnell."

Richard was infuriated. How dare Zedd inform him of what he can and cannot have. How dare he speak of Kahlan in that way. She wasn't a lost cause. She deserved a better life. When he glanced over at Kahlan, she was wearing her Confessor's face. It was failing slightly. He saw the tear trickle out of her right eye.

"I'm making it my decision. Kahlan is not a lost cause, and if she is, she is my lost cause. And I will send my army to the depths of the Underworld if I have to. I am going to keep her away from that man at all costs, don't let one of the costs be you, Zedd." Richard was not wavering. He never thought he'd be able to talk to his grandfather this way, never thought he'd want to talk to him this way. But this was different. He was waving away Kahlan's freedom, selling her off to a murderer like a common prostitute.

Zedd straightened, sighing in defeat. Richard knew that if he threatened their relationship, Zedd would succumb. He didn't like using it against him, but this was the only way.

"And who do you suppose she mates with, Richard? You?"

"A man can only dream." Zedd's face softened, the lightning flickering out of him. He offered a sad smile and a slight nod of the head before turning his back on the two. When he got to the door he turned around, glancing between them.

"Tomorrow, we shall look for a new mate." Kahlan nodded her head in agreement as Zedd walked out the door. She turned to face him, tears falling down her cheeks, leaving clean streaks on her mildly dirty face. He fell back on the bed, exhausted from the argument. She took his hand and sat next to him, clutching his hand to her chest. She kissed his knuckles before she leaned down to kiss his forehead.

"Thank you." She whispered into his skin as she leaned her forehead into his, sniffling before she pulled away. He grabbed her wrist and dragged her down next to him, wrapping an arm around her as she settled her head on his chest. He could feel her tears soak through his shirt. He lightly started to run his hand along her back.

"Anything for you, Kahlan Amnell. Anything for you."


	13. Intrusion

"What were your plans, Ryan?" Richard asked, leaning against the stone wall. Ryan was chained on the opposite side of the room. The smell alone was enough to make Richard gag.

"Ryan," the man's gaze looked up at the figure in white, eager to do her bidding. "Answer Richard's questions. It would please me very much." Ryan smiled and nodded vigorously, redirecting his gaze up towards Richard.

"The Sisters of the Dark found me while I was patrolling for the D'Haran army. At first I was terrified and tried to fight them back, but their magic prevented me from doing so. They told me they wanted to make me more powerful than I could imagine by giving me something called han. They said it would make me formidable against any wizard. I asked them why they were doing this and they said they wanted to capture Lord Rahl." He looked up at Kahlan. "Mistress, I'm so sorry." She nodded her head and motioned for him to continue. "This was shortly after you came into power, when no one really believed you were the new Lord Rahl. We were all still devoted to Darken, and I finally agreed to go along with their plans. They gave me quite a bit of this han - I'm not quite sure what it was. The Sisters said it was a man's essential magic, or something of that sort .." he started to trail off and jumped when Kahlan snapped her fingers. His eyes glistened as he started to panic, apologizing again to his mistress. "After a few months, they said I was ready for my mission, and sent me back into the army to get close enough to be able to capture you. See, I never wanted to kill you Lord Rahl, I swear!" He started sobbing when he saw that his mistress was not pleased with him, groveling on the stone floor and curling into himself.

"And what about Kahlan?" He looked up at Richard, seeming happy to have this subject to talk about.

"She's my mistress. She is quite beautiful, the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I'd do anything to please her-"

"That's not what I meant. What about becoming her mate. Was that in the plan?" Richard's impatience was rising. Granted, Ryan was now confessed and of no harm to anyone, Richard still wanted to wring his throat. Ryan shied away, backing into the wall further.

"Answer him." Kahlan hissed, taking a few steps forward. Ryan began groveling again and words started to spew from his mouth.

"It wasn't in the plan. I heard she had come and was looking for a mate - it was spreading throughout the whole camp. It was said she and the Wizard were interviewing men. Most of the soldiers scoffed at men volunteering themselves to become this woman's slave, but I thought it was the perfect opportunity to get close to Lord Rahl. Word was also spreading that the Mother Confessor and Lord Rahl were getting close and a lot of the men were concerned that she would take you as a mate. I was overjoyed to know that she was going to take me as a mate, that I would finally be able to fulfill my part and capture you."

A question burned in the back of Richard's head as he applied pressure to his temples. "What were you going to do after you captured me? About the Mother Confessor?"

Ryan looked around the stone room as if searching for a way out. Tears started to swell in his eyes when he looked at Kahlan. Her face was unreadable.

"I was going to kill her." He choked out, sobbing more as he slumped to the floor.

"When?" Ryan looked up at him, as if pleading with him not to demand an answer - but his mistress told him to answer Richard as if answering her, and the words spewed from his mouth.

"After the first night with her." Richard's blood began to boil. This sorry excuse for a man was going to sleep with her before killing her. Richard wanted nothing more than to run him through with his sword.

"That's impossible." Kahlan turned to look at Richard, her eyebrows furrowing at the statement. "You were to be confessed. Unless she ordered you to kill her, you wouldn't have been able to." Kahlan pursed her lips as she turned to Ryan, expecting a response to Richard's statement. Ryan's eyes were wide.

"I .. I never thought of that." He fell to the floor once again. "Have I pleased you mistress?"

"No." Kahlan's voice was hard. He looked up at her, moving himself towards her on his knees. He grabbed the hem of her dress and started kissing it, begging to know what to do to please her. The sight disgusted Richard. He placed his foot between Ryan and Kahlan's dress, using it to kick his chest and have him fly back to the opposite side of the cellar. Kahlan smirked.

"Don't touch her." Richard barked. He didn't like having Kahlan anywhere near him. He intended on capturing Richard and handing him over to women who obviously wanted to kill him. As far as Richard was concerned, that made Ryan a murderer - whether the deed was done or not. According to him, the intent is just as bad as committing the action. He didn't want Kahlan to have to deal with this man. He was beneath her. Richard was disgusted that she even had to look at him, let alone speak to him and deal with his actions.

"Please, mistress," he started sobbing, staying where he was kicked to, "tell me what I can do to please you. I live to please you. Please-"

"There is nothing you can do to please me, Ryan." She stood tall, arms crossed, chin lifted. Her gaze was deadly. Ryan's eyes grew in shock. "You came here to capture Richard, a man I care deeply about. After that, you were going to use me as your whore before killing me."

"No, no, mistress-"

"Stop." Ryan closed his mouth, stifling back his sobs. "Nothing you do will ever please me." She turned and lifted the heavy handle to the door, letting herself out of the room. Richard followed, closing the door while Ryan wept and begged behind him.

Kahlan was already walking down the corridor when Richard closed the door. He took a few steps forward before leaning on the wall. "A man you care deeply about, hm?" He called out to her. She turned her body before parting her lips slightly and shaking her head. She smiled as she turned around, continuing down the corridor. Richard caught up to her and the two walked side by side without saying a word. Zedd came around the corner and stopped them.

"How is Ryan?" He asked.

Kahlan smirked as she tilted her head. "He's in agonizing pain. Torturing himself, really." Richard turned his head to look at her, his eyebrows scrunched together. Zedd was mirroring the same facial. Kahlan smiled between the two, slightly laughing. "I told him there was nothing he could do to please me. There is nothing worse a confessed man can hear than that." Zedd nodded when he realized what the action actually entailed while Richard stood there just as dumbfounded as if you told him the sky was green. He shook his head, deciding not to ask.

"Why didn't you just tell him to die?" Zedd questioned. Richard's eyebrows shot up. She can do that? Order a man to die? Kahlan looked down, sliding her tongue over the top of her teeth.

"That would have been too easy on him." She looked up, seeing if the wizard understood what she meant. He nodded his head in agreement.

"Good choice, dear one." He moved past them and walked further down the corridor. Richard observed his surroundings. They were in the corridor with the guest rooms, the rooms where they stationed visitors from other parts of the land. He was standing directly in front of a door. Richard was certain they didn't have any guests, a dinner would have been made to welcome them - and since he hadn't been beckoned to any dinners, he was reasonably sure there would be no one in the rooms. He smiled to himself. Kahlan started walking forward, but Richard grabbed her elbow, sliding his hand down to her wrist as he pulled her into the room, guiding her to the wall as he closed the door. He placed a chaste kiss on her lips.

"So," he raised his eyebrows, "the men in my army seem to think you'll take me as a mate."

"And?" She asked, leaning her head forward a bit, smirk dancing on her lips. Richard sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"I suppose I just want to know the probability of that actually occurring." His boyish grin widened as she grabbed onto his vest and pulled him forward, noses touching.

"Higher than you would think."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, really." She drawled out as she wrapped her arms around his neck, beckoning him closer. In turn, he wrapped his arms around her waist, closing the little distance they had between them.

"I'm not sure Zedd would like that." He teased, rubbing his nose against hers.

"Hmm," she said as she kissed along his jawline, teasingly running her tongue up to his lips. "I'm not sure I care." She took his bottom lip between her teeth and pulled away slightly, laughing as she released it.

"And what's this about my losing my soul?" He wriggled his eyebrows at her.

"Pesky nonsense. Nothing to concern yourself with." Her eyes were growing dark and her hot breath on his face was making his pants uncomfortably tight.

"Pesky nonsense? Becoming your slave just so we can have a moment of pleasure?" He teased. She pulled away from his face, lips pursed.

"A moment? If that's all your worth then I should seriously reconsider this." His jaw fell open as he scoffed. Her hands were playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. She pouted as her eyebrows scrunched together. "Becoming my slave? You act like you have some sort of self control." Richard threw his head back and laughed, Kahlan leaning forward to place hot kisses along his neck. She worked her way up to his ear and bit his lobe.

"You must admit, Cypher, you are already at my beck and call." Her voice was husky as she whispered into his ear. He leaned down as he picked her up, her legs instinctively wrapping around him. She looked down into his eyes.

"And what do you want, my dear Kahlan?" He spoke into her skin as he kissed along her collarbone. She used a hand that was wrapped around his neck to lift up his chin, focusing his attention on her.

"I beckon you to the bed and I wish to call your name." Her eyebrow raised suggestively and Richard had to stifle a moan. He was certain he was going to lose his soul this very day.

"As you wish." She bit her bottom lip as she leaned in to kiss him. She started to move her hips as he moved them to the bed. Dear spirits, she was trying to kill him. He sat on the edge of the bed knowing fully that she was the one in control. She lightly pushed him down as she flipped her hair over her shoulder, leaning in to kiss him yet again. She broke from the kiss and sat on top of him, reaching for the ties of her dress as she unlaced them. He sat upright, removing her hands and unlacing the dress himself. She shrugged it off her shoulders, the fabric falling to her waist. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her down on top of him, placing hot, sloppy kisses all over her chest - especially at the bulge of her breasts. She started to unbutton his vest, and he picked himself off the bed while she took it off him - lips still working on her chest. She pushed him down again, scooting herself lower onto his body, and she was now straddling right above his knees. She reached for his belt, tugging at it and undoing it excruciatingly slow. She didn't stop when she heard someone crashing through the door. Instead, she continued to strip off his belt before she turned her head to look at the intruder. Richard didn't bother looking up, his head was reeling, his heart hammering.

"And who are you?" Kahlan said as she lifted her eyebrows, looking the person up and down. Richard prayed to the spirits they would leave, that maybe it was just a maidservant. He knew better. Maidservants didn't go crashing through doors of rooms that were supposed to be unoccupied.

The blonde wore a smug smile, arms crossed as her leather slightly creaked. Richard moaned in frustrated. He knew who it was.

"I'm Cara. Lord Rahl's favorite Mord'Sith."


	14. Competition

Kahlan pursed her lips as she measured up the blonde. Her uniform was different than the other Mord'Sith she had seen - it had less bulk and a dangerous dip in the neckline. Her hair was cut around her shoulders, some pieces longer than others. She was not the regulatory Mord'Sith.

Kahlan pursed her lips as she lifted her hand to dismiss her. "And I'm his favorite indulgence. Now, if you wouldn't mind." She turned back to Richard, who was still staring up at the ceiling, trying to gain moderate control over his body. These two women were dangerous and a feeling in the pit of his stomach told him that he needed to end the situation quickly. He lifted himself on his elbows, peering around Kahlan's body to meet the Mord'Sith's eyes.

"Yes, Cara?" His voice was husky from his arousal, which had not settled. Kahlan didn't bother looking back at her and was giving him a very impatient look. She moved her hands down to his thighs, where she started rubbing lightly with her fingertips. Richard coughed to cover up his moan.

Cara cocked her head to the side, pursing her lips while taking in the situation. "Why, Lord Rahl, I thought I was your favorite?" She asked, seemingly innocent. Richard could feel Kahlan tense up. She replaced her light touches with jabs. Richard knew if he gave into the Cara's taunts, then the situation could go badly very quickly. If he didn't address her proclamation of being his favorite, he was fairly certain Kahlan would remove herself from him. He definitely did not want that. Instead, he chose neither.

"Cara," his voice was stern, "this isn't the best time." As if on cue, Kahlan moved up to his lap, placing herself directly on his hips. She was now blocking his line of sight and wiggling around to get his attention. She pushed him down onto the bed and looked over her shoulder.

"I see he has chosen." Richard wished Kahlan hadn't said that, it would only egg Cara on. Normally, he was amused with Cara's antics. Not this time, not now. He wanted her out of the room as quickly as possible.

"Cara," he addressed her again, sure that the woman was giving him a scowl - and suddenly thankful that Kahlan had blocked his view, "it's good to see you. It'd be better to see you somewhere else, at some other time." Kahlan drew her bottom lip between her teeth as she waiting for the Mord'Sith to take her leave. Neither heard the door close.

"And let you become a slave to this," Richard heard the restrain in her voice. "woman?" Kahlan exhaled deeply, frustration lacing her breath. She slid off of Richard and turned to the blonde. Their blue eyes were both throwing daggers. Richard sat up, attempting to make his way off the bed only to receive a disapproving scowl from Kahlan. He resigned and sat back down.

"And if your Lord Rahl wants me, aren't you obliged to let him have me?" Kahlan retorted, crossing her arms over her corset.

"It is my duty to keep Lord Rahl safe. You are a threat. I need to remove you from him." Cara smirked, her right hand dancing on the handle to her agiel. This was going to end very badly. Richard cursed himself for not locking the door. It wouldn't matter anyway, he thought, she would end up busting through a locked door all the same.

"A threat to you."

Cara scoffed. "I'm Lord Rahl's favorite."

Kahlan slowly made her way to Cara and crept dangerously close to her face. Kahlan's words were full of venom, Richard wincing at even hearing her say them. "You've been replaced."

Before Richard could even open his eyes, Kahlan was already walking out the door - making no effort to re-lace her dress. Richard sighed as he flopped against the bed. Someone was always interrupting them. He wasn't stupid, he knew what he was doing. Why did everyone feel the need to tell him what to do? If he wanted to give his soul to this woman and become her mate, that was his own choice. It was his life, not theirs.

He pushed himself off the bed and placed his forearms on his legs, leaning forward toward the blonde - who was wearing a large smirk, her eyebrows raising.

"You realize, don't you," he began as he rubbed his eyes with his right hand, "that you just started a war." Cara scoffed again, arms crossed, stepping towards him.

"She's nothing I can't handle."

Richard glared up at her through his brows. "She's the Mother Confessor, as you surely know. If there were a person you couldn't handle, it would be her." Cara's eyebrows scrunched together, her eyes rolling as she sighed.

"And you can .. handle .. her, Lord Rahl?" Her eyebrows raised as she leaned forward. Richard smiled sarcastically while shaking his head.

"No one will give me the chance." His voice was flat, bitter. Cara straightened herself as she leaned down to pick up his discarded vest. She tossed it to him as she started to walk out of the room.

"I had no idea you wanted a dominant woman, Lord Rahl," she turned at the opening, resting her forearm on the door frame. "If I would have known, she wouldn't be competition." Cara smirked as she left the room.

Richard sighed as he put his vest back on. He was going to have Kahlan Amnell. No matter how many interruptions had taken place - he was determined to bed her. Before she found another mate. There was a very slim chance the next would have evil intentions. It would be harder to get rid of him.

He picked himself off the bed, dragging his feet to the door. He stepped out in the hall and pulled the door shut, leaning forward to rest his forehead on the wood. As he made his way to start walking down the hall, he felt someone come behind him and twist him around, slamming his back into the door with extreme force. When his focus came back, he saw it was Kahlan, dress still around her waist. She looked incredibly displeased as she grabbed the top of his vest and pulled his face to hers.

"There are too many interruptions in this palace. We need to relocate." Her eyes and voice held evidence of pent up frustration, the same Richard was feeling. He smiled as he hurriedly replaced her dress, lacing up the front. She grabbed him by the bottom of his vest and started dragging him down the hall.


	15. Explosion

Richard was not pleased.

Kahlan had been ushering him through the People's Palace, insistently tugging and making him speed up. She was right, the palace offered too many interruptions. Right as they were about to make their way through and sneak out, another one popped up. This time in the form of a maidservant. Richard was reasonably sure that the spirits were taunting him.

Guests were coming. Lord Rahl was apparently supposed to entertain a dinner between himself and the majority of leaders from the Midlands. He was told it was planned since Kahlan had arrived, but he hadn't heard of it til now. Neither had Kahlan. Zedd followed shortly behind the girl, who was cowering under Kahlan's increasingly angry glare and Richard's obvious frustration. He dismissed her and approached the two, Kahlan's hand still gripped to the bottom of his vest.

She was rather livid.

"Why is it that everywhere we go in this palace, we can't get a minute of privacy!" She was breathing heavily, gripping tighter on his vest. Richard's shoulders slumped. They weren't getting out of this situation. Especially if it was Zedd blocking the way. Cara appeared behind Zedd, and Kahlan snapped, releasing her grip on his shirt to point at the two.

"You two do not understand the meaning of privacy, do you! Every time Richard and I are alone, one of you comes barging in. You don't even knock or announce yourselves! Then you treat us like children who can't make choices for ourselves. Richard and I are leaving. Now. The dinner isn't scheduled til later in the week and our counsel isn't needed to advance forward in anything. The maidservants can show the guests their rooms. Tell them we are off finding a mate, anything. I don't really care. All I care about is getting Richard alone." She glared at them both, eyes flickering from the elder to the blonde. "Now." She snarled. Zedd opened his mouth only to have Kahlan grab his robes and shake him. His arms started flailing, attempting to get her off.

"Child, you are going to make a grave mistake!"

"The only mistake I've made was not taking him as a mate before you were able to object!" She yelled, still shaking the old man.

Richard was mildly surprised by her outburst, and amused at the same time. He started laughing. Kahlan dropped her hold on Zedd and turned to glare at him.

"It appears he doesn't want you, Mother Confessor." Cara smirked, arms crossed, agiel hanging from wrist. Richard rushed up and wrapped an arm around Kahlan's waist, holding her close and preventing her from lunging at the blonde.

"You're wrong Cara," Richard began, his voice calm and authoritative. "I want her more than I've wanted anything." Kahlan seemed to relax in his grip, her anger subsiding. Slightly.

Zedd took a step back from the two, disbelief marking his features. He didn't know what to say that he hadn't already said. Cara scoffed as she rolled her agiel in her fingers. Kahlan's breathing steadied more.

"I am going to be with this woman," he gave Kahlan's side a gentle squeeze. "Now, either the two of you are going to leave and let me willingly give my soul to her - or," his voice emphasized the word, making sure to grab their attention. Kahlan stiffed a bit in his hold. "you have two days to find a way I can be with Kahlan without repercussions." When the two opened their mouths to refute the offer, he lifted his hand, silencing them.

"Those are the options." Richard's gaze darkened as his hold on Kahlan grew tighter. "After two days, I will be hers. One way or another. Now choose." He was vaguely aware of Kahlan smiling.

"This is absurd." Cara finally said, breaking the silence. "There is no alternative. There are many women who would choose to be with you, Lord Rahl. Leave her. Choose another."

"There is no other." He hissed. Cara rolled her eyes as she sighed, placing her hands on her hips.

"And you have known this woman for what? A few weeks?" Cara eyed Kahlan suspiciously. "And now you are already making proclamations of love and being willing to lose your soul?" She gestured with her hands to Kahlan. "She hardly is worth it." Zedd nodded slightly. Richard disregarded her words.

"You have two days. You should probably start working. Now." He retracted his hand from her waist and grabbed Kahlan's hand. "Kahlan and I are going to get more acquainted."

"You have got to be joking." Cara's tone was flat, disbelieving. Zedd took a step towards them, resting a hand on Richard's shoulder.

"My boy, you just gave us two days."

"I did." Zedd eyed the two. First Richard, then Kahlan.

"Then why are you two getting more," Zedd paused. "acquainted?"

"Can we not talk?" Richard questioned, tilting his head. "I'm good on my word, Zedd. Two days. You don't have to worry about my losing my soul before then." Zedd sighed and dropped his hand from his grandson's shoulder, walking back towards Cara, who's mouth was agape and eyebrows were furrowing together. Zedd grabbed her arm as he tried to motion her away, only to have Cara jerk her arm away from him and deliver a sharp and hard glare at him.

"This is ridiculous, Lord Rahl. She will destroy you." She snapped, turning to storm away, followed by Zedd.

Richard started to walk, but was stopped when he realized Kahlan hadn't moved. He turned to face her. She was pouting.

"Two days?" She asked, eyebrows scrunching together as her bottom lip protruded out. He sighed.

"Two days."

"Two whole days?" She huffed, yanking her hand away from his and placing it on her hip. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her forward. She made no move to embrace him back.

"Kahlan-"

"You do realize what this means, don't you?" The question startled him and he shook his head.

"This means," she used her right hand to walk her fingers up his torso. "that these next two days," her hand reached up to his throat, wrapping itself behind his neck as she pulled her face up to his. "are going to be painfully slow for you."

"Just for me?" He teased, boyish grin coming onto his face. She nodded. "And why is that?" He asked, his fingers running their way up her spine.

"Because I am going to make them painfully slow." She drew out the words slowly, as if forewarning what the next two days entailed.

"And besides," she continued, jabbing a finger into his chest, "you said you'd deny me nothing. What if I wanted you right here? You'd be breaking your promise." His brows scrunched together as he slumped his head down to meet hers. She was right. He made a promise. He would much rather break a promise to Zedd and Cara than to her. All she had to do was say she wanted to at that moment and he would oblige. She smiled at her victory and laced her fingers behind his neck.

"It's a good thing," she breathed into his mouth, "that I wouldn't ask you to do such a thing. Having you as you are would be much more .. exhilarating." She looked at him through her lashes. "Let's hope Zedd comes up with something." Richard chuckled.

"What? No mention of Cara?" Kahlan started to pull away, but Richard tightened his grip and she was flush against his body.

"No." Kahlan said flatly. "She's your favorite." Her voice was sarcastic and Richard couldn't help but chuckle. She moved to hit his shoulder, with more force than usual. He winced slightly but continued laughing. Kahlan placed her hands on his chest as she pushed forward, separating the two.

"Richard!" He kept smiling as his laughter died down.

"Kahlan." He inched closer to her, picking up both her hands in his. Her glare lessened as she sighed and looked to the right. "Amnell?" Her gaze redirected back to him, frustration apparent in her eyes. She hated it when he laughed at something she found serious. First, the mark on her neck. Now, Cara supposedly being his favorite. He placed a kiss on her forehead before looking in her eyes again.

"You," he leaned closer to her face, "are most definitely my favorite." Her lips bunched to the right as she she rolled her head.

"Sure, Cypher." A small smile played on her lips and he lowered his head to gather it with his own grin. When he moved away from her, her blue orbs were sparkling.

"You want to be my mate?" She asked teasingly, biting her lower lip in anticipation, even though he knew she was fully aware of the answer.

"Why, of course!" He said with mock appall. She started smiling.

"You know," She muttered, pulling him closer to her, "practice does make perfect." He laughed as he let her pull him even closer.

"Ah, but we can't practice for two days." He was now aware of how long those days were going to be. She lifted a hand between their faces and waved her finger at him.

"No, no, Lord Rahl." His eyebrow raised at her. "There are many other things we can practice that don't involve confession."

"Oh, really?"

"Most definitely." She grabbed his vest as she led him into the nearest room.


	16. Resolve

The past two days went by horribly slow.

Richard had hoped since he had given his grandfather and Cara two days to come up with a way for him to be with Kahlan without being confessed, that they would leave the two alone. That was not the case. Cara, not understanding much about magic and asking too many questions, was dismissed by Zedd. She used the free time to supervise the two. Other than a few stolen kisses, he hadn't seen much of Kahlan. Richard could tell Kahlan got incredibly irritated by the Mord'Sith's antics, so she chose to separate herself from the blonde as much as possible.

At this point, Richard didn't blame her.

Zedd had come up with one solution - a solution Richard was refusing to even consider. He held the metal object in his hand, waving it in Richard's face.

"Richard, the Rada'Han can contain her magic. You won't be affected. I'll even give you the key." Zedd was amazed at how easy the solution had come and was now aggravated that Richard wouldn't even consider it. Cara rolled her eyes as she stood by the elder in front of Richard's desk.

"No." Richard looked up at his grandfather, whose face was now red with rage.

"Bags! You give us two days to come up with a solution. We came up with one! Now you won't even consider it! Why!" Zedd dropped the object on the desk, a clanging ringing through the room.

"Because," Richard looked between the two, "this is not a proper solution." Cara dropped her mouth and was about to scream at him. He lifted his hand to silence her. He picked up the Rada'Han with his right hand, gesturing to the two with it. "This is like a collar. Kahlan is not animal. When I wanted a solution, I wanted something that would affect me - not her. Asking her to even consider wearing this is blasphemy." He dropped it on the table. "Asking her to wear this would be telling her that I don't take her for all she is. I don't want her to feel like she has to give up a part of herself to be with me. What you two don't understand is that I'm not scared of her magic." Cara's eyes narrowed as she leaned over the desk. She scoffed.

"Not scared of her magic, you say?" She reached out and grabbed his shirt with her leather clad hand, practically lifting him out of his seat. "You have to be the stupidest man I have ever met, Lord Rahl. This," she picked up the Rada'Han with her other hand as she proceeded to wave it in his face, "answers your problems. This lets you be with her without becoming her slave. If she feels this," her lips pursed, "suppresses her, then you shouldn't be with her anyways. If she would much rather let you lose your soul to her than to wear this simple 'collar' around her neck - she doesn't care about you." She dropped the metal as she shoved him back in his seat, walking out of the room. Richard rubbed his forehead.

"Cara's right." Richard looked up at him.

"I know." Zedd seemed ready to burst at the seems.

"Then why are you refusing this!"

"Cara is right, but we'll never find out for sure." Zedd eyebrows shot up.

"And why is that?"

"Because I wouldn't even dream of asking Kahlan to wear this." He picked up the object and threw it to the side. "I want her for everything she is, magic included. I'm not scared of this, Zedd. You may think we are rushing into this - that we are making decisions based solely on desires. We're not. I'm not." Richard's back straightened as he crossed his arms. He could see Zedd faltering in his anger, his curiosity was about to overwhelm it.

"Bags, Richard! Are you telling me you actually care for the Mother Confessor?" His wrinkled hands rested on the table, leaning closer to Richard.

His hard facials softened as he looked down, grinning. "More than care, Zedd. These past few weeks have been unbelievable. I honestly think I'm in love with her." He heard Zedd sigh.

"My boy, are you sure you aren't just infatuated with her?" Richard shook his head.

"I thought that at first, but I'm not. I mean, I am, but that's not all it's about." His smile was starting to hurt. "It's the way she acts, who she is. She's authoritative and speaks her mind, knows how to get what she wants. She's truthful and playful, sometimes shy. I feel like my heart is going to hammer out of my chest every time that I see her. A simple touch from her sends me reeling for hours. When she first walked in to this room," he turned, gesturing around, "I felt I had known her my whole life. Zedd, I know you are worried about confession - losing me. The truth is, I was confessed the moment she walked through that door. You don't want me to become her slave - I already am. I'd do anything she'd ask of me. Confessing me isn't going to change anything, my feelings for her couldn't be any larger than they already are. It'll still be me."

"A more lovesick, devoted you."

Richard chuckled. "I couldn't get any more lovesick or devoted if I tried,"

Zedd shook his head. "I'm not going to convince you to abandon this, am I?"

"Not for anything." Richard could see Zedd giving up on the prospect of him leaving Kahlan behind. He was glad Cara wasn't in the room, she would have only mocked his feelings and egged on an argument - possibly riling Zedd up more. His grandfather walked around the desk, putting an arm around Richard's shoulders.

"My boy, if this is what you really want," he looked down at Richard, "then I won't stop you. Who am I to get in the way of love? An old fool like me, whose feelings have long ago aged away." Richard smiled as Zedd took away his arm. The old man started to walk out the room.

"Zedd?" He turned, eyes sad.

"Thank you." Richard managed to choke out. He nodded as he reached for the door handle, letting himself out of the room. Richard sighed he rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands.

Richard wasn't sure when his feet had started moving, but he was now standing outside of Kahlan's door. He sucked in a breath as he knocked. He heard her shuffling behind the wood, moving to unlatch the lock as she slowly drew it open. His gaze met hers and he broke out into a smile.

"Lord Rahl." Her eyebrow arched up, smirk on her lips.

"Mother Confessor." He replied, putting his hand on the door as he pushed it open, following Kahlan into the room.


	17. Desires

**THIS CHAPTER IS QUITE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT. NOT INTENDED FOR MINORS.

* * *

**

He hadn't even touched her yet and his heart was hammering through his chest.

The moon shone brightly through her window, the night only filled with a few stars. Candles were variously placed throughout the room, offering a soft light. Other than the first day she came and he walked her to this room, he had never set foot in it. He was now feeling very nervous and felt his hands get clammy. Kahlan showed no signs of apprehension.

She was walking over to the dresser to light another candle. They were strategically placed, offering light in all different areas of the room, leaving no spot completely in the dark. Richard didn't know if it was the candles or the situation that was spiking his body temperature. Kahlan took her time as Richard stood there, completely unaware of what to do. This was different than the previous encounters they had. Those were spontaneous, on a whim. This was deliberate, more serious. A promise of what was to happen. Richard started getting a bit dizzy.

Kahlan turned to him, smile beaming on her face as she walked up and tugged at his pendent, bringing him in for a kiss.

"Hello there, lover." He liked this pet name the best.

"Well, hello there beautiful." He responded, leaning forward to place a light kiss on her nose. She pulled her hands away and took a step back, smile still gleaming.

"I suppose the two didn't come up with a solution?" Richard shook his head, unable to stop smiling. She pouted slightly, eyes diverting away from his. She rolled her tongue along her top teeth before addressing him again.

"Are you sure about this, Richard?" In all of this, she was still concerned for him. It only seemed to solidify his decision. He took a step forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush him as he kissed her, his tongue begging for entrance. He didn't receive it. She pulled her head away slightly, looking up at him through dark lashes, her blue eyes turning stormy. He leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life." Kahlan smiled the genuine smile she seemed to only have when he was around, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, pulling him down for another kiss. This time, her mouth allowed him access.

Richard's nervousness subsided as he melted into her, the kiss deepening. Although they held up the appearance of fighting for dominance, it was no competition. Kahlan always won. He wondered just how in control she planned to be.

She pulled away and started to pull his shirt out of his pants, tugging insistently on the cloth. When it was loose, she pulled him closer with it before lifting her arms to raise it above his head, dropping it to the ground. Her hands traced along his torso as he reached for the laces on her dress, pulling and tugging - but only seeming to make them tighter. Kahlan playfully batted at his hands as she chuckled, loosening the ties so it would be easier for him to undo them completely. She leaned in and placed soft kisses along his neck and down to his shoulder, diverting Richard's mind from the task at hand. Before the dress was unlaced he was already meeting again with her mouth, using his hands to pull on the fabric instead of untying it. After a few tugs, the ties seemed to loosen. Kahlan laughed into his kiss as she pressed her body closer to his, hands resting on his hips. His hands glided over her shoulders, gently pushing the dress down her arms. She retracted her hands from his skin to allow the dress to fall onto her hips. He reached down and gave a sturdy tug, the white dress falling completely off of her and on to the ground.

Kahlan reached her arms around his neck, her left hand burying deep into his hair as the kiss became more passionate. His arms enveloped her once again, this time with the intent to undo her corset. His nervousness returned when he realized just how difficult it was to do without seeing - with your mind being in a totally different place. He broke the kiss and seized her neck, kissing and nipping, eliciting small giggles from her as her hands wrapped around him, resting on his back. His mind started to clear slightly, and it was enough for him to be able to concentrate long enough to untie the corset all together. He felt it loosen and traced his hands up her arms, pulling at the straps, encouraging Kahlan to drop her limbs. She did. The corset shrugged off her, quickly falling to the ground with her dress. She was now only wearing her skirt.

Richard caught his breath as he felt her skin press against his, chest to chest. Her skin was hot and soft, slightly glistening with sweat. His mouth returned to hers as she wrapped her arms around his neck once again. His hands roamed her flesh, running their way up and down her spine before moving towards her hips. He ran his fingertips up her body, coming in brief contact with the sides of her breasts before running them back down. Richard's desire swelled when he heard her moan into the kiss, slightly rocking her hips into his. At the contact Richard returned the moan, and Kahlan lightly bit his bottom lip. He moved to kiss her jaw, down her neck. He could see the wet trail he was leaving on her flesh in the candlelight.

His hands were running along the front of her stomach and her hips, slowly moving up to the mounds at her chest while his mouth was descending. Her left hand was buried in his hair, urging him down. He smiled against her skin as he licked around the peak, Kahlan squirming and arching towards his mouth. He complied and took the flesh into his mouth, lightly sucking and nipping. His other hand made it's way up her side and started to trace lazy patterns along the opposite breast. When she started murmuring inaudible sounds, he let her go with a pop before replacing the newly neglected area with his hand as he migrated to the other side, eagerly taking her in once again. He felt her squirm and reluctantly removed himself from her chest, placing his hands on her hips as he trialed wet and sloppy kisses along her stomach. He got on his knees before her, licking along her skin right above her skirt. His fingers started to pull at the fabric, slowly dragging it down her legs as she swayed her hips to help assist. When the cloth hit the floor, she used her foot to push it out of the way.

The only barrier left on her was her shorts.

He picked up her right leg and started placing butterfly kisses along the inner knee, working his way up her thigh. When he reached the fabric of her shorts, he started receding, following his path back down her leg before picking up the opposing one to repeat the action. She seemed to purr as he touched her. He set her leg down and ran his hands up the back of her thighs, making light contact with her backside as she moved her hips towards him. He was about to lace his fingers into her shorts when she pulled him up by his pendent, seizing his lips with hungry kisses. She broke the kiss, pulling back as her breaths came out ragged. She moved to take his earlobe in her mouth, biting down slightly. She let go and placed her lips by his ear, her hot breath leaking it's way inside.

"My turn." Richard shuddered as her mouth started to explore his skin, leaving open mouthed kisses all over his flesh, a seeming trail of burning sensations. His breath hitched as her nails started scraping along his back, moving down as her mouth took up more of his skin. She kissed along the indentation of his hips before her hands went to work at the laces, undoing them enough for his member to feel slightly relieved, but not enough to allow the pants to be pulled down. She made her way back up to his neck, her tongue licking every contour of his skin. She placed a kiss along his jaw before pulling his pendent forward, her mouth hovering dangerously close to his, but not close enough for contact.

"Bed. Now." He leaned down and placed his arms around her backside, hoisting her up as she wrapped her legs around him tightly, her breasts smashed against his skin as she wrapped her arms more firmly around his neck, placing light kisses on any skin she could come into contact with. He wasn't exactly sure where he was in the room, his eyes closing involuntarily to Kahlan's kisses, her legs wrapped tightly around him. His shin made contact with the edge of her bed, and he placed a hand on the bedding as he eased them up, laying her down and recapturing her mouth. Her legs loosened, falling to the bed, her hot hands brushing over his flesh. His hand reached to grab her thigh, running his palm along her skin until he met the coarser fabric. He slipped two fingers under the garment, pulling it down. He moved backwards, giving her room to move her hips up and allow him to drag the cloth down her legs. He threw it to the side as he climbed back over her, smothering her skin with kisses as he made his way up to her lips. Her hands moved down his stomach, untying the lacing that was left to contain him. When she felt him slip out, she moved back to take her place back on the bed as he removed his trousers.

He picked up her ankle and placed a kiss on it before moving his way up her leg. Without the shorts to stop him, he was now dangerously close to her sex. Kahlan started to wriggle under his touch. He leaned forward and flicked her nub with his tongue.

"Richard!" She gasped, quickly grabbing his hair with her hand to hoist him back up to her lips. He could feel her arousal against his leg and groaned into her mouth. Her blue eyes fluttered open as she gripped his hair in her hands, pulling back to force him to look at her.

"Inside me. Now." Richard smiled at her demand, placing kiss on her neck before positioning himself at her entrance. He slowly pushed in, feeling her lift her hips and moan. When he looked up at her, her head was thrown back onto the pillows, eyes fluttering as she tried to catch a breath. He stayed still a moment, hovering above her face and waiting for her to look at him. When her lids opened, he leaned his head against hers.

"Kahlan," she started to move under him, trying to urge him to thrust. "I love you." Kahlan responded by embracing him in a kiss, wrapping her legs around him while she tugged at his pendent. Richard couldn't hold on much longer and started to move, thrusting into her slowly at first, increasingly picking up speed.

Kahlan's nails were digging into his back, the pain allowing him to keep some control over himself. She started panting as his speed picked up, her hips bucking against him. He supported himself on his left arm as he used his right hand to grab her thigh, guiding her into the rhythm even more. His lips found refuge on her neck, kissing and sucking eagerly, slightly biting. Kahlan moaned as her chest heaved. She pushed on his shoulders as she rolled him over, settling herself on top of him as she started to move up and down. Richard threw his head back and his eyes shut. He felt himself starting to lose control. Kahlan's rhythm was slow, seeming to want to prolong the moment as long as she could. When she started to slam down on him with more force, Richard knew she was close to her climax.

"Richard-" He quickly wrapped an arm around her before flipping her back onto the bed, his hand lifting her thigh as he gave one last thrust. He felt her sex contract around him, her body writhing beneath him.

Then he felt it.

Thunder with no sound.


	18. Consequences

The thunder rolled through him and he felt it in every fiber of his being. When she contracted around him it signaled his orgasm, and despite the feeling in his bones, he continued with his motions until she was fully off her climax. His head was spinning. Everything had new importance now.

Kahlan had new importance.

He gazed on her face, supporting himself on his forearms, which were on either side of her. She seemed to be glowing. Her eyes fluttered open, her breath slow and evening.

She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

He'd do anything for her.

He smiled down at her while he lifted his hand to move some of her hair off of her face, which had a thin sheen of sweat layering it. He couldn't stop smiling. Her every move delighted him. He was aware he was softening inside of her, but he didn't want to move. The feeling of her legs wrapped around him was the best he's ever known.

This woman was his world.

"Richard?" Kahlan's eyes grew wider, the consequences of the event sinking into her. She lifted her hand to his face, cradling it. He turned his cheek into her palm, placing a light kiss on the flesh. He leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers.

"Yes, Amnell?" Kahlan's eyes popped open from their recovering state, excitement shining through her features. She tightened her legs around him as she placed kisses all over his face, giggling.

"You aren't confessed!" She was practically squealing. He shook his head, his nose rubbing against hers as she bit her bottom lip and started to squirm, causing Richard to slip out of her. She pouted when she felt him leave, but quickly pushed him onto the bed and curled up beside him, grabbing his pendent with her left hand as she nuzzled into his arm. She couldn't stop moving, tracing her hands over his flesh at every opportunity.

"How?" She looked up at him as he moved to place the covers over them. His boyish grin crept on his lips as he leaned to press a kiss to her forehead.

"Because I wasn't scared of your magic." Kahlan furrowed her eyebrows, lips pursing. "Because I'm in love with you." He could feel her jump in his arms and in an instant she was placing kisses all over his neck and chest. His arm tightened around her, slightly calming her movements as she settled back into his embrace. Richard's heartbeat was hammering, and he was sure it was quite loud under Kahlan's ear. The rhythm seemed to lull her to sleep, and soon her breathing was steady and her body fully relaxed. Richard smiled as he stared up at the ceiling, taking in exactly what just happened.

This was the start of a whole new life.


	19. Barely Clothed

Richard woke to hear a persistent banging on the door. He glanced to the window - it was just before dawn, light faintly covering the sky. He yawned and stretched, realizing his arm was no longer tucked neatly around Kahlan. He blinked a few times before his eyes focused to the darkness, the candles long ago burnt out. He saw slight motion in the corner of his eye, and turned his head to the left to see Kahlan sleeping peacefully on her stomach, her back exposed to the air while the rest of her body was wrapped in the sheets. Richard smiled before he heard the knock again.

He wasn't sure exactly where his pants were and quickly fumbled to remove a part of the bedding without waking Kahlan up. He wrapped it around his waist as he made his way for the door, feeling around the room to make sure not to knock into anything. He sighed in relief when his hand made contact with the cool metal of the door handle. He slowly drew the door open to see a very angry blonde Mord'Sith on the other side.

"Yes, Cara?" Richard's voice was irritable. He didn't like the fact he woke up from the knocking, and thanked the spirits Kahlan hadn't been stirred by it. He looked over his shoulder to see her slightly shift, murmuring something before drifting off to sleep again.

"Has she let you off your leash long enough to answer the door?" Cara snapped, pressing her hand on the door to swing it open. Richard caught it before it slammed against the stone wall. He glared at her.

"Cara," his voice was stern and harsh, "what do you want?" Richard had to remove his hand from the door to grab the cloth around his waist, stretching out his other arm to keep Cara from barreling into the room. He looked over his shoulder again to see if Kahlan had awoken. She hadn't.

"I want Lord Rahl back!" She practically screamed it in his face and in the background he heard the sheets of the bed rustling. Cara tried to advance forward, but Richard wrapped his arm around her waist and dragged her into the hallway, quietly shutting the door behind them.

"Cara, I'm right here." Despite the yelling and the aggravation, he could tell that she really cared about what they all thought had happened to him. He also noted the way her body was positioned. He didn't put it past her to want to get in the room to kill Kahlan.

Cara scoffed. "I'm not quite sure how this confession works, but I do know that you bedding the Mother Confessor means you are forever subjected to her will." Her eyes narrowed. "As long as she lives, that is."

Richard rested a hand on her shoulder, slightly shaking her. "Cara, look at me." Her blue orbs rested on his. "You saw Kahlan was asleep, correct?" She rolled her eyes. "How could she command me to come to the door if she wasn't even awake?" Cara furrowed her eyebrows and took a step back, crossing her arms.

"I don't believe you. You couldn't be with the Mother Confessor without being confessed." Her eyes were hard, but filled with emotion. Richard opened his mouth to speak when he heard the door open behind him.

Kahlan had a robe covering her form and her hair was disheveled from the prior nights activities. She leaned her forearm against the door frame and the sleeve of her robe fell down to her elbow. She looked Cara from head to toe, lips pursing. Richard had an idea.

"Kahlan," her eyes didn't leave Cara, "command me to do something." Kahlan furrowed her brows as she moved her head to look at him. Cara tapped her foot impatiently. Kahlan smiled.

"Kill Cara." Richard had to stifle a laugh and when he looked at Cara, her jaw had fallen and her eyes were wide. He took Kahlan's hand in his as he looked down at her, trying to keep himself from smiling.

"Now, Kahlan, isn't that a bit overboard?" Kahlan pouted and shook her head as she retracted her hand. Instead of placing it around her stomach like she had before, she was now playing along his hip, teasing the fabric and slightly pulling it down. Cara didn't seem to notice the action.

"You .. you aren't confessed?" Cara's voice cracked. Before Richard could answer her, Kahlan took a fist full of the sheet in her hand as she tugged him towards her.

"Now that that's cleared up," Kahlan shot an icy glare at the Mord'Sith, "Richard and I have some business to attend to." Before Richard could say anything to Cara, Kahlan was already ushering him back into the room and closing the door. She pushed him forward and his hands tried desperately to keep the bedding around his waist. He had no idea why he was being so modest. When he turned to look at her, her arms were crossed as her back leaned against the closed door.

Richard wasn't sure where this was going. He didn't know whether to apologize for the Mord'Sith's actions or, well, he didn't know anything else he could do other than that. His mind was racing for something to say, her eyes seeming to burn on him.

"That was quite a bold command." He finally managed to choke out, figuring it was the safest thing for him to say. She shrugged, part of her robe falling over her shoulder as it did. He'd never seen her in black before, and the robe seemed to fit her body perfectly. He tightened his hold on the sheets.

"I suppose. I figured it was worth a shot." She lightly flicked her hand, bringing it up to smooth a strand of her tangled hair through her fingers. "She interrupted my sleep." Kahlan raised an eyebrow at him. "The best sleep I've ever had."

Richard could feel is cheeks burn. He swallowed. She seemed rather concentrated on her hair, variously picking out random strands and smoothing then between her fingers. After a few attempts she gave up and her arms crossed beneath her breasts. A thought occurred to him.

"Kahlan, was I," he felt his face burn and suddenly felt like he shouldn't have even opened his mouth. He saw her eyebrow raise up in questioning. "Was I your first? I mean .. if you've never taken a mate before .." Richard's voice started to trail off and he looked to the ground, shuffling his feet. His attention was brought back to her by the sound of her laughter ringing through the room.

"Of course you were!" She laughed some more, resting her hand above her brows. Her laughing subsided. Her eyes narrowed as they rose to meet his, her mouth parted slightly as her tongue ran along her upper lip. "Are you trying to tell me something, Cypher?"

Richard cursed himself. Now she was going to think she was inadequate, and she most definitely was not. Kahlan tilted her head and her lips pursed. She was very aware she had him in a precarious situation. He sighed as he slumped his head forward.

"I mean, if you weren't satisfied," his eyes manically sought out hers as he heard her voice, "then maybe I should just bring Ryan up here. I'm sure he would be more than satisfied." Richard knew she was joking, he heard the playful demeanor in her voice - but it didn't deter away from the fact that the thought of Ryan touching her made his blood boil. The thought of her even joking around about it made him incredibly angry and jealous.

"No." Richard's voice sounded huskier than he intended it to. Now that mention of Ryan came up, he felt he had to reclaim her as his own. Kahlan detected the tone of his voice.

"So, you were satisfied then?" She was doing this to tease him, he could tell it in her voice. She was still leaning her back against the door, now slightly twirling the tie of her robe as she awaited his answer.

"Very."

"Very?" She smiled, shaking her head slightly and seeming to bask in her victory.

"Very." He repeated again, taking a step closer to her.

"Good. Because I was thinking," she took a forward as she removed the tie of her robe. the fabric opening slightly in the front. Richard felt his pulse rise.

"Thinking what?" He could barely get the words out. She closed the distance and gave a tug at the bedding wrapped around him. He wasn't aware how loose his grip had gotten until the fabric had fallen on the floor. In a single moment she shrugged off her robe as she started walking back towards the bed.

"Practice does make perfect." Richard smiled at her words before moving to join her on the bed.


	20. Lack of Luxury

Richard wasn't even aware that Ryan was still alive until Kahlan called his name. He was like a living skeleton. The guards said he had refused to eat for the past week - since Kahlan had told him he could do nothing to please her. Richard was surprised he had lived this long. His eyes were sunken, his face ashy. The mass that was previously on him no longer existed, leaving frailer limbs.

Zedd had came to the two that morning and said they needed to figure out exactly what to do with the confessed man. Since the news that Richard hadn't been touched by Kahlan's magic, Zedd seemed to put himself in the background, letting the two new lovers get better acquainted. He hadn't heard from his grandfather in awhile, nor had he heard from Cara since the incident the morning after. Richard shrugged it off. He appreciated the time they were granting him with Kahlan, soon enough they would have to go back to dealing with the problems of the world. That day had been today.

"Yes Mistress?" Ryan's voice was weak and hoarse, his water cup discarded to the side of the cell, still full.

Richard wasn't sure what Kahlan was going to do. Zedd advised Kahlan to put him to some useful work but Kahlan scoffed at the suggestion. She said that if he was out for blood, then she was as well. Zedd shook his head before walking away. It was very apparent that arguing with the Mother Confessor was a losing battle. Before long, everyone in the palace had known that fighting with her was futile. Richard noticed how some of the maidservants walked as if on eggshells around her, how they wouldn't look her in the eye. She never lashed out at any of the servants, never made a spectacle. The only time she argued was in the company of Zedd, Cara, and himself. He didn't know how she suddenly had a reputation for being so confrontational.

"Have you lost your will to live?" Kahlan towered over the cowering man, glaring at him.

"If it pleases you Mistress, then yes."

"You disgust me." Although Kahlan had never said how she felt about confessing men, Richard thought he could read it pretty well. She was a strong woman who liked to be in control, but she didn't like being treated like a divinity. Whenever something was brought for her, she always thanked the person giving it. If she needed something in the market, she didn't allow others to pay for it or give it to her just on her standing. He figured that confessing men was a last resort for her, that she didn't like their obsessive devotion. Yet, there was a part of him that was convinced that she had the world on a string, that she enjoyed being pampered. The conflicting emotions always surprised Richard, but then she would smile at him and he would forget the nagging feeling that confession thrilled her. This was a moment that made him forget.

Ryan had started placing kisses along the ground by her feet, begging for forgiveness and to be commanded. Kahlan kicked him in the shoulder, causing him to make contact with the wall behind him.

"If you have lost the will to live, then you can stay here and die." Her words were harsh and laced with venom. Ryan looked up at her, confused.

"Do you wish me to die, mistress?"

"Do you wish to die, Ryan?"

"If it pleases you, mistress."

"Do you wish to die, Ryan?" She repeated, her voice more harsh.

Ryan was still thoroughly confused at the words, trying to comprehend if she wanted him to die or not. His eyes teared up in frustration. Kahlan tapped her foot impatiently.

"It would please me if you answered the question truthfully, Ryan. Do you wish to die, knowing that other than answering this question, you can never please me?"

Ryan sighed in relief, finally understanding what she was asking of him.

"Yes mistress, I do." Kahlan's foot stopped tapping as she took a step forward and leaned over. She pressed the tips of her fingers on his chin, urging his face up to look at her. Richard felt the anger boiling in his blood.

"I offer you no such luxury." She removed her hand and turned away, starting to walk out of the cell. Ryan was sobbing.

"What do you wish me to do, mistress?" He called out, barely audible through his tears. Kahlan made no effort to respond to him as she walked out of the room, her white dress trailing along the stone floor. Richard followed her. He nodded to the guard to close the door behind them.

"Continue to give him food and water. If he ever decides to eat or drink, inform me." Richard told the guard, who nodded at his command. Kahlan stopped in her tracks, turning around to look at Richard.

"Don't bother."

"We can't just not offer him food and water, Kahlan."

"The food would be of better use giving it to someone who wishes to live. He doesn't. Don't offer him luxuries he shouldn't have." Kahlan turned and continued down the corridor. Richard sighed as he nodded to the guard, letting him know that Kahlan's word was now what was to be done.


	21. Tricks

No one had sent word about Ryan.

A few days after they had visited him, the cell had become empty. The guards didn't say anything about it to Richard or Kahlan, probably because of Kahlan's obvious disgust about the whole ordeal. Although Kahlan had basically sentenced the man to death, Richard still went down to the stone prison to check up on the him, see if he was still breathing. He felt a slight sympathy towards Ryan. Richard knew how it felt to be utterly devoted to this woman. He was sure that if she ever sent him away, he'd be just as heartbroken. Never the less, he wasn't surprised when the cell became vacant.

Richard was staring at the ceiling, his left arm draped around Kahlan as she slept peacefully against him. Since Ryan's death he hadn't been able to get much sleep. His mind kept racing around the fact that Ryan had died simply because Kahlan said she wasn't pleased with him. The whole idea was almost too much for him to fathom. The thought would keep him awake until his eyes finally gave out on him, closing and succumbing to the exhaustion. Kahlan had noticed he wasn't sleeping well, and some nights she would tire him out from love making, making his body too weak to function consciously. She would draw lazy patterns on his chest until his eyelids slid closed and she was convinced he was asleep.

Tonight had been one of those nights. He had fallen asleep for a short amount of time, the warm feel of Kahlan against his side being enough to lull him into a dreamy state. However, he had woken up in the dead of the night, unable to resume sleeping. Kahlan was tucked neatly against him, his left hand running it's way up and down her spine. He relished the moments when she would stir slightly in his arms, attempting to nuzzle closer into his skin.

When Richard noticed the faint light of dawn start coming into the room, he reluctantly pulled himself away from Kahlan, getting dressed as quietly as possible. There was paperwork that still needed to be done, a never ending process. He figured his insomnia could be beneficial to getting work finished. He stepped out of the room, slowly drawing the door closed. Before he took two steps down the hall, Zedd was already meeting him, Cara trailing on his heels.

Richard hadn't seen Cara since the day she demanded entrance into Kahlan's room. It was relieving to see the leather clad blonde, and despite himself, he was starting to miss her antics.

"Up quite early, my boy!" Zedd boomed, slapping a hand on Richard's back. Even though Richard was reasonably sure he was only barely functioning, he couldn't help but smile at his grandfather's demeanor.

"You look tired," the old man continued, "has Kahlan been keeping you up? I'm expecting some little grand children to be running these halls soon enough!" Zedd winked at Richard, nudging him on the shoulder. Richard laughed, throwing his head back. He heard Cara scoff. Zedd redirected his attentions to her, wagging his bony finger at the blonde before returning to the conversation.

"My boy, we do have some important matters to address."

"Such as?"

"The Sisters of the Dark that Ryan spoke of." Richard scratched the back of his neck, sighing. He had almost forgotten why Ryan had come to capture him. He looked up when he heard his grandfather speak again. "Perhaps you should wake Kahlan." Richard nodded his agreement as he reached for the door handle of their room. He took a breath as he pushed the door open.

"No need to rush in waking her, my boy. Cara and I will be down in the main hall in an hour, you have until then." Zedd winked again before nudging Cara with his hand to start walking down the hallway. Richard chuckled. Zedd really did want grandchildren soon.

The room was slightly lit, the sun appearing a little higher than when he had left only minutes ago. Kahlan was wrapped snugly in the bedding, laying on her side. Her left leg had managed to escape the covers, leaving it bare against the cool morning air. Richard smiled as he made his way to the bed, returning to his previous position as quietly as he could. Her eyes started fluttering open when he leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead. She squirmed a little before drifting off again. For as alert as this woman was, it took a momentous force to make her wake unnaturally. His fingertips started playing along the flesh of her exposed leg, her body slightly shifting into his touch. She murmured some inaudible sound before rolling her head and prying her eyes open. His hand continued to run patterns along her skin.

"Morning." She drew out, her voice groggy and her movements unsure.

"Morning, beautiful." He smiled at her, her eyes continuing to stay shut more than open. She scrunched her eyebrows at the effort to keep her lids from falling back over her eyes. She snuggled closer against him, her body pressed against his, her face in the crook of his neck.

"You smell, Cypher." Her announcement made Richard laugh, and despite her proclamation, she didn't leave the comfort of his neck.

"I wonder why, Amnell." He heard her chuckle against his skin. She rolled over, the sheets becoming more of a jumbled mess. Her bare back pressed against his chest and he wrapped his arm around her stomach, pulling her closer. She was starting to drift back into sleep. He nipped at her neck with his teeth.

"Mother Confessor, it's time to wake." She squirmed in his arms, playfully batting at his hand, which was now tracing over her stomach. She shook her head in protest. He started to tickle her side and she started batting him away with more strength.

"Zedd needs to talk with us." She groaned and buried her head in the pillow.

"Why? Is the old man tired of us being in this room so much?" Richard laughed as he moved his hand to run down her arm.

"Quite the contrary," he moved his mouth closer to her ear, "he wants grand children as soon as possible."

Kahlan turned back on her right side, capturing his lips with hers. When she separated, Richard could tell she was fully awake.

"We can definitely make that happen." She purred, her left sided grin creeping onto her face. Richard shook his head, his nose rubbing against hers.

"Sadly, we need to speak to him about the Sisters of the Dark." Kahlan pouted, exhaling deeply. She started playing with the pendent hanging around his neck. Her mouth scrunched to the right, her nose making a similar action. She looked up at him.

"Fetch me my clothes?" He nodded as he got out of the bed, picking up the garments that were discarded on the floor the night before and lightly tossing them to her. He leaned against the bedpost as she fumbled with the clothing, pouting and scrunching her brows in frustration. He chuckled as he watched her get dressed in the bed. She would glance up at him occasionally and scowl, only to return to her task and smile. When she was fully dressed, she climbed off the bed, adjusting the clothing and brushing away invisible dirt. He reached his hand out to her and she took it, letting him lead her out of the room and down into the main hall.

Cara was sitting at the table, her legs propped up on the desk while Zedd was thumbing through a book. The blonde didn't acknowledge the two, but Zedd immediately popped out of his chair and greeted them.

"Sisters of the Dark?" Kahlan questioned, wanting to get the conversation over with as quickly as possible. Zedd nodded as he sat back down. Richard pulled out the chair beside Zedd for Kahlan and walked to the other side of the table to take a seat next to Cara, across from Kahlan. Cara sighed as she pulled her feet down from the desk. A hint of annoyance crossed Kahlan's features.

"So you think these Sisters are a real threat?" Richard questioned, his grandfather nodding and seemingly lost in thought.

"Ryan gave us very little information on the women, but I think I may know where they are hiding." Zedd rummaged through the pages of the book again, flipping back and forth. When he found a page that satisfied him, he turned the book and pushed it towards Richard.

"I don't know what I'm looking at, Zedd." Richard had a hard time reading the words on the page, the ink seemed to run together. He saw the drawings on the paper, but couldn't comprehend what they where. His head throbbed. He blinked a few times and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Cara was leaning to the side to see the image as well. Kahlan sat across from them, arms crossed.

Zedd leaned over the table to retrieve the book, huffing as he set it in front of himself. Kahlan glanced over at the pages.

"If you weren't so exhausted," he glanced over at Kahlan. She smiled at him. "You'd have read of a forest that lies near Aydindril that is said to be a hot bed for magical activity." Kahlan reached for the book, setting it in front of her as she started reading the pages.

"I've never heard of this forest."

"Child, do you see how old that book is? As far as I know, that is the last recorded mention of the forest."

"Are you saying that you only know of it because you are ancient?" Kahlan beamed at him, a large smile on her face. Zedd and Richard both laughed.

"Yes, dear one." She scrunched her nose as her eyes read along the text.

_"The forest has a shield that protects and hides the gifted. The entrance is only visible to those that hold the spark of magic and can wield it, preventing ungifted men from entering. The forest amplifies the magic of those who are in it while shielding them from the outside world. In this forest, the magic holders are forever lost to the world until they wish to be seen."_ Kahlan stared at the words, her brows furrowing. She glanced over at Zedd.

"And?"

"And what, my dear? It's the most probable spot for the Sisters to be hiding."

"It also is invisible to the ungifted, the ones who can't wield their magic effectively." She gestured over to Richard and Cara. "Richard and Cara have the spark, but they aren't trained to handle magic. I'm a Confessor, so I can command my power, but I don't believe it has the same meaning as what this page indicates." She pressed her index finger down into the paper. "And, despite being First Wizard, it's too dangerous for you to go in there alone. So, what do you propose we do?" Zedd leaned back in his chair, his right hand going to his chin.

"My child, what kind of First Wizard would I be if I didn't have a few tricks up my sleeve?" Kahlan's eyebrow quirked up, her lips pursing to the left.

"And what would these tricks be, Wizard?"

Zedd smiled as he leaned forward, flipping the page over and pointing to another passage. Kahlan began reading it.

_"Unless aided by a Wizard of the First Order, ungifted men can never find their way into the forest. A Wizard of the First Order can reveal the entrance to the ungifted and guide them through as they please. But as the forest amplifies the magic of the gifted, it also weakens the strength of the ungifted."_ Kahlan pushed the book forward and crossed her arms.

"This is all too convenient." She remarked. "And hardly a trick, seeing as it's written on the pages."

"I agree." It was the first time Richard had heard Cara speak in awhile. Kahlan turned to look at her, slightly nodding her head.

"It also doesn't make sense for us to go in if we are going to become weaker." Kahlan scoffed, fumbling around with the ends of her hair. Zedd leaned forward again.

"Oh, but my dear, I have a trick for that too." Kahlan looked up at him.

"Is it in this book too?" She lifted the book and dropped it to the table. Zedd chuckled and shook his head.

"Old man, this hardly seems like a plan worth going through with." Cara scoffed, leaning forward to spin the book towards her.

"Cara's right. This plan has too many holes. You want us to walk into a magical forest where women who are already deadly are deadlier and we are weaker and more vulnerable. We'd be giving them exactly what they wanted. Our deaths." Kahlan flicked her hand at Zedd. He turned his gaze towards Richard.

"My boy, what do you think?" Richard didn't know what he though about the situation.

"What's this trick?"


	22. Bonds

"An elixir." Zedd responded, leaning back in his chair once again, a satisfied look spreading across his face. Kahlan's eyebrows scrunched together as she cast him a sidelong glace. Cara glared at the him. Richard was dumbfounded.

"An elixir?" He asked, his right hand moving to rub his temple.

"Yes, my boy. Elixir's can do wonderful things-"

"Get to the point, old man." Cara scoffed. The interruption made Zedd jump back slightly while Kahlan grinned.

"Well, I know of an elixir that can make you immune to the forest's power."

"How is that even possible?" Richard's head was buried in his hands, the dull throbbing becoming unbearable. He needed sleep. Richard was convinced that no amount of dwelling over Ryan's devotion would affect him now. All he wanted to do was crawl back into bed. With Kahlan.

"The elixir keeps whatever magical power you may have intact, but keeps other forces from acting on you. For example, Kahlan's power would still work, but if she tried to touch Cara, nothing would happen." Cara, who had been intently observing the walls, directed her gaze at Kahlan. Kahlan smiled.

"I'm not sure I like that." The three looked at Kahlan, who was leaning on her elbows. "What if I wish to confess Cara later on?" Cara smirked. Zedd bellowed a deep laugh.

"My dear, the elixir is temporary. It only lasts a day or two, at the most. If you wished to confess Cara later in life, then you would be free to do so."

Richard thought this conversation was odd. Kahlan was delving into the prospects of confessing Cara, Zedd was informing her that she could, and Cara only smirked at the responses. She didn't even scoff like she normally did. Unless his eyes were deceiving him, he could have sworn he was seeing a friendship form between the two. It didn't surprise him, the women had a lot in common. Dominance being the main similarity.

"So," Kahlan began, dragging the book back in her direction from Cara, "this supposed elixir will keep us from becoming weaker when we enter this forest." She pointed at the illustration on the page. Zedd nodded. Cara seemed very interested in the conversation, and Richard noted how her and Kahlan would glance at each other periodically. They were having the same thoughts. He hoped they would voice them soon.

"Wizard, there is still a problem." Cara scoffed, grabbing the book from Kahlan as she read through the passages. Kahlan and Cara both called Zedd 'Wizard.' Another similarity. When Cara had found what she wanted, she turned the book towards Zedd and pointed. Before Zedd could even move his gaze down to the text, Kahlan had already begun talking.

"The Sisters are still stronger than usual."

"Exactly." Cara pursed her lips as she smirked at Kahlan. Zedd sighed. Richard didn't know whether it was from the women bringing it up, or that he hadn't thought of that aspect. He smiled as he chuckled.

"Then we'll just have to be on our toes, now won't we?" Kahlan made a face as she leaned back in the chair, arms crossed. Richard had to stifle a laugh from seeing her be so huffy. Cara seemed to imitate the response, slouching in her seat.

"And when would we do this?" Richard questioned, finally grabbing the book for himself and trying to focus on the drawing and the words on the page.

"As soon as possible. We should pack and then be on our way. We can make good time in the dark, seeing as we do have a former woods guide with us." Zedd winked as he stood to move from the table. Richard sighed as his shoulders slumped forward.

"Do you suppose we can have a few hours before we leave?" Zedd looked at Kahlan, his eyes questioning. She rolled her eyes as she stood up, batting his shoulder with the back of her hand. "I'm still quite tired from attempting to make grand children." She raised her eyebrows at him.

He chuckled. "Yes, dear one, a few hours can be spared. When you have awoken again, we will be ready to leave." Zedd nodded at Kahlan and Richard before exiting the main hall.

Kahlan reached out her hand to Richard and he accepted, letting her help him out of his chair. She smiled up at him while her other hand patted the top of his, and began leading him back to the bedroom. Kahlan glanced back at Cara, who was still seated at the table, now turning the pages of the book curiously. The two nodded slightly at each other.

Kahlan opened the door to their room, letting Richard slide in before closing the door behind him. He turned to look at her.

"I didn't know you were tired."

"I'm not. You are." She replied, lightly pushing him towards the bed. He sighed. How was this woman so amazing? She ushered him towards the left side of the bed, urging him to sit down. She cradled his face in her hands.

"You need to get some rest, Cypher." She pressed her nose against his, smiling down at him. He grinned as his hands went to rest on top of hers.

"What did I do to deserve you?"

"I don't know." She answered playfully. Richard's hands dropped from hers and her right hand picked up his pendent, rolling it in her fingers.

"Thank you for this." He breathed in her scent, her hair slightly falling to tickle his face.

"You can thank me for it later." She mumbled as she placed a light kiss on his lips, pushing him down with her left hand. When his body hit the bed, he almost instantly drifted to sleep. He was faintly aware of Kahlan pulling off his boots and tucking him under the covers. He felt her lips press against his temple before exhaustion took him over.


	23. The Beginning

Richard stirred when he felt weight being applied to his body. His eyes slowly slid open, focusing to see Kahlan. Her hair was pinned behind her head, a few strands escaping and framing her face and tickling her neck. She was wearing the black robe. Richard blinked a few more times.

"Morning, again." Kahlan smirked.

"You don't look ready to travel." He chuckled, sitting up and resting his hands on her hips.

"Observant." She mocked, hands reaching to grab his pendent. He smiled as he leaned forward to kiss her. When he pulled away she climbed off of him, grabbing his hand and urging him out of the bed. He stumbled over the bedding, which was now piling on the floor. He rubbed his eyes with his other hand.

"What's this all about, Amnell?"

"You smell, Cypher. I thought we established this." She laughed, guiding him to a tub near the front of the room. She started pulling off his vest, dragging it down his shoulders. When her face was close to his, he could smell her hair. She had taken a bath earlier.

"I just put warm water in." She looked up at him through her lashes, moving her hands to undo his belt and strip him of his pants.

"You did all of this while I was asleep?" She nodded, tugging the belt free. When he was fully nude, she shook her hands in a shooing motion, urging him to get in the bath. He obliged. The water felt relaxing against his skin, and he was suddenly very aware of how filthy he had been. He sunk lower in the tub.

Kahlan grabbed a cloth and dipped it in the bath water, sitting on the edge of the tub. She wrung it out and started dabbing it along his neck and chest. She handed him a bar of soap. He dipped his head under the water, allowing the water to run through his hair. When he resurfaced, Kahlan was handing him the cloth, leaning over to kiss his forehead.

"I'll be right back." He nodded as she walked over to the wash basin, grabbing a towel and setting it on the floor as she repositioned herself back on the edge of the tub. When she sat down, her robe fell around her leg, exposing the creamy flesh. She took back the cloth and started patting it on his face and arms, attentively cleaning him. When Richard felt all the dirt had been removed from his skin a thought came to his mind.

Kahlan leaned away from him, dropping the cloth to the ground. Richard sat up and wrapped his arm around her waist, dragging her down into the bath water. She hit the liquid with a splash. She gasped as the water soaked through her robe.

"Richard Cypher!" She screeched, grabbing the sides of the tub and trying to lift herself out. Richard just held his arm firmer around her stomach, clutching her back against his chest. He saw her right leg fling out of the robe, now flailing as she tried to leave porcelain trap.

"Richard Cypher!" She yelled again, now using her hands to try and pry Richard's arm from around her. He chuckled as lifted her slightly, pressing his face on the flesh of her neck. Kahlan crossed her arms and stopped fighting, now huffing and blowing a strand of hair out of her face. Richard couldn't help but laugh, Kahlan now reluctantly sitting on top of him, encircled by his arms.

"I hate you."

"You do not." He chuckled into her neck, his mouth placing light kisses along her skin. She huffed. Her robe was getting heavy and she shifted uncomfortably in his arms. He moved the arm around her stomach to give her a little more leeway. He started to kiss her neck as his hand fumbled with the tie of her robe, attempting to open it. When his hand made contact with skin, she quickly batted it away and grabbed the bottom of her robe, climbing over the edge of the tub.

"No, no, no, Cypher. We have traveling to do." More of her hair had fallen, making a fuller frame around her face. She was holding her robe up with her hands, her thighs exposed. She started to wring out the water, adding to displaced liquid that already had fallen.

He leaned against the edge of the tub, reaching with his right hand to grab the edge of her robe, tugging her closer. "There isn't time to spare?" He asked playfully, her head lifting slightly as she smirked at him.

"We are already late."

"Zedd said we could go down whenever you woke." His eyebrows shot up playfully.

"Ah, see, that would work if .." she leaned down, her face just out of reach.

"If what?"

"If he hadn't already seen me." She straightened her back and dropped her robe as she walked away, shrugging it off her form. He sighed and dipped his head under the water again before reaching over the edge of the tub to grab the towel. He dried off and quickly got dressed, Kahlan still lacing up her corset when he was finished. He walked over and took the ties from her hands, lacing them up for her. She turned in his arms and he kissed her forehead. He sighed.

"I have to pack."

"Already done." She lifted up a bag with her right hand.

"You are too amazing." She laughed as she tossed the bag to him, leaning down to retrieve hers.

When they met up with Zedd and Cara, Zedd lifted his eyebrow at the two before walking out of the People's Palace, the three close at his heels.

The sun had set long ago and the four of them had been riding for hours. Zedd had told them it would be a two week journey to the forest near Aydindril and Richard was less than thrilled. Cara was bitter because a part of the army wasn't coming with them, and the army had been just as upset at not being invited to protect their Lord Rahl. When Kahlan asked Cara if she was scared to be the only D'Haran to protect Richard, Cara rolled her eyes and said she was the only protection he needed.

"We should stop for camp soon." Richard remarked, noticing how Kahlan was starting to slowly slump forward in her saddle.

"Great idea, my boy. I could use some food." Cara scoffed at the old man and muttered something under her breath, shaking her head.

When they found an opening, Richard slid off his horse and tossed his bag on the ground. He then went to Kahlan's horse and offered her his hand. When she made contact with the ground, Richard could feel how much effort it took for her to stand upright. He put an arm over her shoulder while his left hand grabbed hers, guiding her to sit on a blanket that Zedd had put down. She nodded her appreciation as she readjusted herself.

Richard proceeded to set up the camp, gathering some wood to place in the small fire. Zedd had started to eat a few slices of fruit, offering dried meat to the rest of them. Richard and Cara accepted, but Kahlan shook her head and said she'd much rather have fruit to snack on. Zedd passed her the pieces and took to eating a strip of the dried meat.

Richard was sitting beside her, observing her movements. When her head hit his shoulder he looked up at Zedd and Cara.

"Kahlan and I are going to turn in for the night." The two nodded and went back to chewing on their food. Richard wrapped his right arm around Kahlan, lowering her down to the bedroll and letting her press against his side. Her right hand rested on his chest, loosely enclosing his tooth pendent in her hand. He smiled as he kissed her hair.

"Goodnight, Kahlan Amnell. I love you." She murmured into his skin and adjusted herself slightly, tucking herself tighter against his side.

He heard Zedd and Cara start arguing over the fundamentals of magic in the background. Cara didn't understand half of what Zedd was saying, and Zedd was tired of trying to explain it to the blonde. Richard smiled as his eyes slid closed.


	24. Confrontation

Kahlan had still been groggy after she awoke. She rode her horse at a slower pace than the others and Richard slowed down to ride by her, allowing Zedd and Cara to get a considerable distance ahead of them.

"Are you alright?" Richard had never seen Kahlan this exhausted and he felt responsible. She had let him sleep and hauled up water to the bath. Before they stopped for camp, she had been riding a hard and fast pace and it was no wonder why she was so tired. She had woken up when Richard had moved from her side shortly after the break of dawn. She hadn't gotten much rest.

Kahlan glanced over to her left and nodded, a slight smile on her face. He slowed his horse down more, Kahlan taking the hint and doing the same.

"Yes, Cypher?" She leaned towards him, her eyebrow arching.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He knew Kahlan wouldn't admit any weakness, but he hoped that she would admit her exhaustion, that she would trust him with it.

"I'm just more tired than usual, that's all. I suppose the roles have been reversed, Seeker." He chuckled as she turned her head forward, hands loosely gripped to the reigns of her horse.

"Maybe I'll have to tire you out with love making in order for you to rest."

She cast him playful smile as she chuckled. "I wouldn't object. Though, I'm sure Cara and Zedd would."

Richard laughed at the prospect of the two making remarks from the other side of camp. "Amnell, I love you." He was still laughing. She smiled at him as she readjusted herself in her saddle.

Then he noticed it.

In all the times he said he loved her, she never did anything but smile or kiss him. She never admitted to having feelings of the sort. She never even let on that she felt the same. He knew she cared about him, but had no idea as to whether or not she actually loved him. He felt a sharp pain in his chest and forced his horse to a stop. Kahlan looked behind her and halted her horse, having it backtrack to meet Richard.

"Is something wrong?" Kahlan's blue eyes were sparkling. She had switched into a traveler's outfit that morning. It was a dark green, open between the legs and at the sides, leaving her room to maneuver if she were to fight. She wore black, tight fitting pants with them. The neckline was the same as all her other dresses. The dress made her seem at one with the woods and it had made Richard smile.

"Kahlan .." Richard didn't know how to bring it up. He debated if he should just wait until she admitted it on her own, that addressing her about it would only make things worse. Kahlan tilted her head.

"I love you." Kahlan smiled as she nodded her head. Richard stared at her. He felt like his heart was going to drop to his stomach. "Do you love me?"

Kahlan's face distorted slightly, sighing. "Richard-"

"Do you love me?" He repeated, his voice desperate and strangled. He saw pain flash through her eyes, and he was certain she could read his face as clear as she could read her own name. She pulled on the reigns, allowing her horse to start walking again. Richard did the same.

"Kahlan, answer me."

"Richard, this isn't the time nor the place."

Cara and Zedd were specs in the distance, and Richard was reasonably sure they knew not to interfere by slowing down. Richard picked up his pace, rearing his horse in front of Kahlan's, causing her to stop. She had a slight pout as she looked at him.

"Richard-"

"Kahlan," he could hardly speak past the lump in his throat, "I love you. I've told you that since the first night we made love. You've never said anything like the sort to me. I just want to know. You don't have to love me, I just want to know." He felt the moisture coming to his eyes. He knew his heart would break if she admitted she didn't love him - but as long as she kept him by her side, he would be able to endure.

She blinked and her mouth opened to say something, but no sound came out. She looked down at her hands as she recollected herself.

"Richard, it's more complicated than that." Her voice sounded rough.

"How?"

She looked up at him, her eyes becoming glassy. "You wouldn't understand." She pulled on the reigns of her horse, directing it around Richard's. He sat there for a moment before pulling his horse around and catching up to her.

"You can't avoid this question!" He barked, sounding harsher than he intended to and regret immediately set in when her eyes met his. He signed as he slumped his shoulders. "Kahlan, please." He pleaded.

"Can we talk about this later?" Her voice was shaky. She looked at him, fear seeming to cover her features. "Please?"

Normally, he'd succumb to anything she wished. Everything she ever asked of him, he did. But not now. He needed to know this. He needed to know why it was so complicated, why he wouldn't understand. He pulled his horse closer to hers, reaching out to grasp her reigns in his. She moved to object but stopped, sitting motionless in her saddle.

"Richard, I don't feel very well." Kahlan was a master at evading topics, things he wanted to know. She did it when he wanted to know her mate, and she was doing it now that he wanted to know if she loved him. He knew that he just had to be forceful enough and she'd respond. Dominance responds to dominance.

He reached up with his other hand and pulled her face to his, her eyes looking dull and lifeless. Her Confessor's face.

"Don't do that, Kahlan Amnell. Don't put on your Confessor's face when you are speaking to me." His voice was demanding, but her expression didn't waver. Instead, she repeated what she had said.

"Richard, I don't feel very well." Richard dropped his hand. Of course she didn't feel very well, she was being cornered into answering something she didn't want to answer. He scoffed as he let go of her reigns.

"Will you help me off my horse?" Kahlan's voice was small and meek.

"Will you answer my question?" Richard's voice was harsh and angry.

She looked at him with a pale face and bright blue eyes. She sighed and Richard pulled on his reigns, allowing his horse to move forward. He didn't hear the steps of a second horse.

He looked behind him just in time to see Kahlan fall off her horse, making hard contact with the ground.


	25. Shocking News

Richard was yelling for Zedd and Cara as he jumped off his horse and rushed to Kahlan. He cradled her in his arms, pressing her head to his chest, using his free hand to check her pulse. It was slow, but steady. He kept yelling until he saw the specs in the distance get closer.

When Zedd got close enough to see Kahlan unconscious in Richard's arms, he slid off his horse and ran to her.

"What happened!"

"I don't know!" Richard was almost sobbing. "We were arguing and then I started continuing forward and when I turned around she just .." He choked back the lump in his throat. "Fell." Zedd's hands were hovering over her.

"Dear Spirits." Zedd's eyes grew wide as his hands continued to move around her.

"What?" Richard was growing frantic, his hold on Kahlan tightening. When Zedd didn't respond, Richard yelled. "What's wrong!"

"Nothing, my boy." Zedd sighed, removing his hands from her.

"Don't tell me nothing, Zedd! What's wrong!"

Zedd looked to his grandson, his face showing no sorrow for the event that was happening. Richard was sure his heart would stop any minute.

"I've never seen a case of exhaustion this extreme." Richard sighed as he started to rock Kahlan back and forth in his arms, cursing himself for not helping her off her horse. For not believing she didn't feel well. For yelling at her. He felt a hand on his shoulder. Although his eyes were blurred from the tears threatening to fall down his face, he could see the blonde was concerned.

"Don't worry, Lord Rahl. The Mother Confessor is strong." Richard nodded his thanks as he went back to rocking her, smoothing her hair back from her face and cursing himself yet again.

Richard didn't know how long he had been holding Kahlan in his arms, he only knew that she wasn't waking. Some of her color returned, and that was the only thing that kept him from thinking she was slipping into death. He had a rising suspicion that this was more than over exhaustion.

Cara had started setting up camp after her words to Richard, laying out the bedrolls and making the fire. Zedd had suggested they move closer to the trees once it was nightfall and Cara began moving all their things. Richard nodded numbly as he picked Kahlan up in his arms and carried her to the new site. He couldn't believe how limp she was in his arms.

She had been passed out for half a day. Zedd didn't seemed concerned, and it eased Richard's mind some. His grandfather couldn't lie to him about something of this magnitude. If something had really been wrong with Kahlan, Zedd would have been fretting just as much as he was. Cara sat nearby and watched Richard, asking him occasionally if he wanted anything. He would just shake his head and look down at Kahlan, the guilt sinking into him. He felt he was responsible. He could have helped her off her horse instead of being bitter about her not answering his questions. It didn't matter if she loved him - he loved her. He'd do anything for her, and instead, he yelled at her and left her alone to hit the ground. He was ashamed of himself.

"My boy, don't beat yourself up. This isn't your fault."

Richard shot his grandfather an icy glare. "It may not fully be my fault, but I definitely attributed to it." He looked back down at Kahlan, her pulse had been normal for hours now, her cheeks rosy due to the warmth of the fire. Richard hoped she would wake soon.

It had been another hour until he felt her stir in his arms. His heart swelled with joy. She wasn't exactly coherent, but she was able to move without hindrance. Richard called Zedd's name, his grandfather coming instantly. He moved over to Kahlan and smiled.

"I told you, my boy. She's fine."

Kahlan's eyes fluttered open and Richard smiled, tears welling up. She moaned as she lolled her head from side to side, attempting to find the strength to sit up. She braced herself on Richard as she pulled her body upright, quickly separating herself from him and wrapping her arms around her knees as she sat in front of the fire.

Richard felt horrible. "Kahlan, I'm sorry."

She flicked her hand in his direction. "There's nothing to be sorry for, Lord Rahl."

Richard felt his heart shatter into pieces. She had never said his name in a vindictive way before. The tone of her voice indicated she had lost respect for him, that the feelings she once held had fallen away from her. The lump in his throat returned as he stared at the ground, wanting very much to become invisible.

Zedd walked behind the two and slapped Richard's back while wrapping his other arm around Kahlan's shoulders.

"Dear ones! There is no need to hold resentment towards one another. What is done is done. We have bigger, better things to focus on."

Kahlan scoffed as she shrugged off the old man's arm. "I hardly call finding the Sisters of the Dark better."

Cara was pacing on the other side of the fire. She glanced towards Zedd. "I agree with the Mother Confessor. Bigger? Yes. Better? No."

Zedd laughed heartily as he stood up, walking over to Cara to gently slap her on the back as well. Cara's eyes grew wide as her nose scrunched.

"Wizard, why are you touching me?" Zedd removed his hand and stared at the Mord'Sith.

"Never mind that, child." He turned to Richard and Kahlan, his arms outstretched.

"Kahlan, my dear, you were over exerting yourself. That is why you had fallen from your horse."

Kahlan's eyebrow raised as she glared at Zedd. "And this is what? The bigger or the better?"

"The better!" Zedd boomed, excitement creeping all over his features. Richard was infuriated. How could Zedd view such a thing as Kahlan falling off her horse from overexertion as a good thing? He stood up.

"How is this a good thing!" He yelled, his face going red with rage. Kahlan being unconscious in his arms for hours on end was not something he viewed pleasant, and his grandfather's cheery demeanor was driving Richard right over the edge. Zedd's smile wouldn't leave his face.

"My dear, how can you not know?" He directed his attentions to Kahlan, who remained sitting. Richard could tell she was still dealing with the after effects of the event, her body not fully recuperated. She shot him a cold glare.

"All I know right now is that I feel nauseous and am highly irritable to old men who are babbling about nonsense!" She yelled, her fists slamming into the ground as she did so.

"Exactly." Zedd's smile grew wider. Cara grabbed his robes and brought him to her face.

"Wizard, if you don't come to the point very quickly, I will gag your mouth shut!" Kahlan moved to get herself off the ground and reluctantly took Richard's arm to help steady herself. She stood still as a stone until Cara was done shaking Zedd. He turned to Richard and Kahlan before making his way around the fire and taking her hands in his.

"Kahlan, my dear, you're with child."

Kahlan's eyes grew wide with shock as she took a step back, retracting her hands from the wizard. Richard felt his heart jump to his throat. He was going to have a baby. He was going to have a baby with Kahlan. He couldn't stop smiling. Kahlan was still in a state of shock, unable to make any words come from her mouth. She turned to Richard, his bright features in stark contrast with her uncertain ones. He was so excited he could barely think straight. He took her face in both his hands and kissed her before wrapping his arms tightly around her. She didn't make a move to embrace him back.

When he moved away from her his smile hadn't diminished. She was looking down at her hands, which were now resting on her stomach. She looked up at him.

"I'm with child." Richard nodded, smiling. He wasn't sure what to do, how to act. All he knew was that he was the happiest man in the world.

"We're going to have a child." She repeated, the statement seeming to sink into her more. She started smiling, her face glowing in the fire light. She started laughing, grabbing Richard's hand and placing it on her stomach.

"Our child is in there, right where your hand is." Richard's face hurt from smiling so much, but he couldn't stop. When she started smiling again he picked her up, slightly swinging her around until she batted at his shoulder to let her down.

"That explains why you've been so exhausted, why you wanted fruit instead of meat, why my rambling about nonsense irritates you more than normal." Zedd was smiling, and even Cara was adorning a toothy grin. "I want at least two more grandchildren after this one!" Cara slapped his shoulder.

"Wizard! They haven't even had the first one and you are already demanding more!" Richard's hand pressed against Kahlan's stomach again, her blue orbs starting to fill with tears. She wrapped her hands around his, smiling the most brilliant smile he had ever seen.

"I'm with child." She whispered, smiling as she looked at their hands resting on her stomach. "I'm having your baby." She looked up at him, disbelief still haunting her features. Richard started smiling again as he leaned in and kissed her. He pressed his forehead against hers.

"I love you, Kahlan." She smiled, tears falling freely from her eyes. He didn't mind she didn't say it back, she'd say it when she was ready. All that mattered was that they were now a family, forever bonded together.


	26. Coincide

Kahlan's exhaustion had grown since their discovery of her pregnancy, a week and half ago. Cara and Zedd were getting anxious to finally get to the forest, now only a few days away. Richard was praying to the spirits that the whole situation could be avoided.

Kahlan rode her horse at a slow pace and became tired quickly. She constantly felt naseous and couldn't eat anything except a few slices of fruit at a time. Zedd had come to the conclusion that she was pregnant for almost a month before she fell off her horse, stating that Kahlan wouldn't have known for another week or two, until her moon blood didn't come. Each day that passed made Richard more excited - it was one day closer to holding their child in his arms. However, he felt miserable for Kahlan, knowing how carrying the child was already taking a toll on her. He just wanted this to be over so she could be back in his bed again, him tentatively taking care of her.

Kahlan was becoming tempermental and Zedd shrugged it off, claiming it was her hormones. Richard knew better. Zedd had taken to coddling her, slowing the pace more or turning in for camp earlier. Kahlan resented it. Although Richard wanted to do the same, he never voiced his opinion about it. He didn't want Kahlan to feel helpless - she was anything but. He could tell how frustrated she'd get when Zedd would suggest she lay down when she insisted she wasn't tired. Kahlan's dominance was slowly being stripped away from her. At times, Richard wanted nothing more than to gather her in his arms and take them to some secluded place where he could keep her safe. At other times, he would become infurirated with himself for even thinking of such a notion and denouncing Kahlan's strength.

Cara and Kahlan had started becoming close since she was no longer a threat to Richard.

Physically.

Cara still held her doubts, but was quicker to engage in conversation with Kahlan. Cara became quickly annoyed with Zedd's antics, constantly scolding the old man for treating the Mother Confessor like a child. The scolding effectively took Zedd's attention away from Kahlan and redirected it onto her, and Richard was positive she was doing it deliberately. Everytime she spoke up to him, Richard was silently thank her by a single nod of his head. Kahlan never awknowledged the action, but Richard was certian there was an unspoken bond between the two.

Richard now took more time to observe Kahlan's body, eager to watch it grow. She was still slender, the product of his seed still small in her womb. His eyes would light up every time he would watch her move, and his mind would instantly drift to think of her holding their child - them being a family.

Kahlan was lifting up small pieces of wood to place in the fire, receiving a patronizing glare from Zedd.

"Don't." The singular word was sharp, warning the old man not to rebuttle. He did anyway.

"Dear one, let us do all the physical work while your body works to create a child." He gestured his hands in her direction. She turned and glared at him.

"I am not helpless." She snapped, dropping the wood to the the ground as she placed her hands on her hips. "Stop treating me like a child who needs to be constantly supervised. I am the Mother Confessor. When my stomach grows too big for me to walk around comfortably, then you can make comments." Her eyes narrowed at him. "That is, if you have no sense of self preservation."

Zedd stared up at her, rolling a twig between his fingers. Cara laughed. Richard was too busy imagining her being as big as she described. He smiled.

"Is something humurous, Seeker?" She looked down at him, and he realized he was grinning like a fool. He couldn't stop.

"It's just .." He sighed as he scratched the back of his neck, right at his hairline. "I'm now imagining you growing large with our child." He looked up at her. "It makes me smile."

Her lips pursed as she leaned down to pick up the wood she had previously dropped, closing the distance and tossing it into the fire. She nestled down next to Richard, who put an arm around her waist to pull her in closer. Her right hand went routinely to his pendent, tugging slightly.

"Wizard, how will you know when we come across this forest?" Cara questioned, throwing a scrap of wood into the fire before sitting down next to Zedd - but a considerable distance away from him.

"Do not worry, child. We will know soon enough."

Cara's eyebrow shot up. "Are you saying you don't even know where exactly this forest is?" Annoyance laced her voice.

"Cara, I know where it is."

"Then where?"

"That is not for the ungifted to know."

"We'll know soon enough!"

"That you will." Zedd was smiling at the Mord'Sith, who had become flushed in the face and was having trouble controlling her breathing. She muttered something under her breath before standing and announcing she was taking first watch. Richard glanced at his grandfather.

"Must you do that?"

"Do what?" Zedd asked innocently, smile wide on his face. Richard gestured in the direction Cara had left.

"Rile her up."

"He loves riling women up." Kahlan muttered under her breath, just loud enough for Richard to catch it. He gave a gentle squeeze to her side.

Zedd tossed the twig to the side as he moved to his back, quickly dozing off into sleep.

Richard held Kahlan a little more tightly to him, noticing how her stomach was slightly firmer than before. He smiled into her hair.

"Tired?" He asked.

"No, but I'm sure you'll make me lie down." She scoffed, her body tensing. He shook his head against her hair.

"Not if you don't wish to." He placed a kiss at her part, his hand finding it's way to her stomach, tracing light circles over the cloth that resided there.

"My figure is already starting to change." She looked down, pressing a hand against his, applying light pressure. Richard nodded.

"Your stomach's firmer than before." She sighed as she returned the nod.

"Soon I will be very fat." Richard couldn't help but laugh, causing Kahlan to look up at him with shock. She batted at his shoulder.

"Richard Cypher! This isn't funny!" He could see the look of insecurity in her eyes. She had never been insecure about anything. Even when she questioned him as to whether or not she satisfied him. Richard moved his head back, taking the hand resting on her stomach and cupping her cheek.

"Kahlan, what's wrong?" Kahlan scoffed and looked down at her stomach.

"Soon I will be very fat," she looked up at him to see if he would have another outburst. "And then you will no longer want to touch me."

He started laughing.

Kahlan hit him in the chest as she moved away from him, her knees drawing up to her chest as she wrapped her arms around them - taking refuge in the fact that she could still manage a simple position as that. Soon enough she wouldn't be able to do it at all.

Richard's laughing subsided to a chuckle as he moved to her, positioning himself in front of her and using his hand to lift her cheek. She looked extremely aggravated.

"I will always want to touch you, Kahlan Amnell." Her aggravation didn't seem to lessen. His chuckle started to come back, Richard finding it hard to stifle when Kahlan glared at him.

"Not when I'm fat." Kahlan's eyebrows scrunched together. She removed a hand from her leg as she used her finger to jab into his chest. "With your child." Her strength behind each touch was stronger with each word. He wrapped his arms around her, pushing her to the ground. The position forced her to retract her legs from her stomach, and they were now on either side of his legs. He was hovering over her, leaning down to kiss her.

"Even when you're fat." He murmured into her lips. Her demeanor finally seemed to lighten as she smiled at him.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him down for a deeper kiss. He started chuckling in her mouth when her body started to shift under him. He broke the kiss and moved his head to her neck, placing light kisses on the flesh before returning to her eyes.

"Zedd is not more than a few feet away." His voice was husky and her eyes held a tint of mischief.

"So?" She asked, tugging on his pendent to draw him closer. When their noses touched she opened her mouth again. "You promised me you'd do anything I'd ask and would always want to touch me. The two coincide." He laughed as he closed the distance, his lips meeting her soft ones.

They heard a crash in the distance.


	27. Blink of an Eye

Soon after the crash, Richard and Kahlan heard yells. More notably, threats. Coming from Cara. Zedd quickly popped up, rushing in the direction as he attempted to gain steady footing. Richard was moving to get up, Kahlan quickly doing the same. Richard paused as he glanced at Kahlan, only to receive a scowl and a shake of her head. He didn't have time to try and convince her to stay at camp. Instead, he grabbed her hand and led them forward, making sure to keep her behind him at all times. She didn't object, but he knew she'd have something to say about it later.

The scene was chaos. All Richard could see were red blurs. Zedd managed to yell something before shooting wizard's fire.

Sisters of the Dark.

Kahlan's hand started jerking away from Richard's and he reluctantly let go, reaching for his sword. He wasn't sure where Cara was in the mess, all the red meshed together. His eyes started to adjust and he could see the lone dark red figure moving swiftly about - Cara. He charged in, fighting off Sisters as effectively as he could while glancing back to Kahlan. She was no where to be found. His heart started to leap in his throat and his pulse raced. He was already enthralled in the fight, there was no way for him to maneuver his way out without getting killed. He started thrusting with more deadly force, his sword meeting his targets with more speed.

He scanned the mass of red women. When one had fallen, it seemed another managed to take her place. He wasn't sure how many there were, but he knew there was at least a dozen. His eyes darted as he ducked under a Sister, reaching up to stab another through her chest. He continued to run through Sisters, and he noticed their numbers dwindling. When the crowd had thinned out, he saw a slight green blur - Kahlan. She was moving quickly and gracefully, her pregnancy not seeming to affect her fighting. Richard let out a sigh of relief as he turned to fight against another Sister. When her body became dead weight on his sword, he lowered it, allowing her to slide off. He saw Cara walking around, occasionally kicking the bodies on the ground, making sure they were lifeless. When her eyes met his, they grew in shock and he heard Zedd yell his name from behind.

He moved to turn, but before he could complete the move, he was pushed out of the way, hitting the ground hard. He looked up through blurry eyes. Kahlan was fending off the Sister, slicing her dagger through the woman's neck with precision. The body dropped before her as she breathed heavily. She looked over at Richard, offering him a hand. He took it, gazing at her.

"Thanks." He managed to choke out. She smiled.

Zedd was rushing to her side, Richard still trying to catch his breath. He walked over to Cara, the look of horror still present in her eyes. She wouldn't move. He placed a hand on her shoulder, quickly jerking her from her trance. The blonde looked at him and he could feel her trembling.

"Cara, what's wrong?" She blinked a few times, trying to regain her composure. She wouldn't move from her stance. She started looking around frantically. Her eyes finally met his.

"The Mother Confessor was hit." Richard cocked his head to the side, the statement not setting in. When his face started to distort, he heard Kahlan start coughing behind him. He spun around, looking at her just in time to see her wipe her hand across her lips.

When she pulled her hand back from her mouth, it was stained with blood.


	28. Dissolution

When Cara had heard the coughing, she darted to Kahlan's side, grabbing her hand and inspecting her. Richard froze in place. It felt as if his whole world was crashing down. Kahlan kept trying to bat away Cara's inspections, but to no avail. Zedd was standing near the two women, looking just as shocked as Richard. When Kahlan started to speak, Richard was able to move his feet.

"Cara, stop. Stop! It's just a little blood." Kahlan wiped her hand on her dress, leaving a blood smeared stain. Richard made his way to her, taking her hand in his, lightly squeezing. She nodded at him, trying to ensure him that she was fine.

Zedd worked at his jaw, but no words came out. He hovered his hand over Kahlan's womb, his eyebrows furrowing. Richard's heart stopped beating. The old man sighed.

"The baby is fine." He managed to choke out, Richard taking in a deep breath. His grandfather was holding something back. "For now."

"What do you mean for now!" Richard yelled, his heart hammering in his chest, his head spinning. "You just said the baby was fine!" His vision was starting to get blurry. He felt Kahlan's hand go limp in his, her expression one of disbelief.

"Kahlan took a blow to the stomach, causing minor damage to the womb. It can be healed, but she musn't do anything to over exert herself - which lately, has been a lot. We need to get her somewhere where she can rest, where distractions aren't running rampant." Zedd gestured his hands, Kahlan scowling at him.

"Quite a few of those Sisters managed to escape." She drew out, her eyes darkening. Zedd started pacing. Richard started panicking.

"Aydindril is a two day walk, if we don't stop." Zedd was rubbing his head with his hands. Kahlan stared at him.

"You expect me to walk for two days straight?" Richard's head was reeling and he couldn't seem to focus on the conversation, his left hand was hanging awkwardly at his side while his right was holding hers. He moved his left hand and placed it on her stomach, Kahlan flinching slightly at the touch. He lightly traced patterns over the cloth.

"No, dear one. We would .." Zedd trailed off, muttering something under his breath. "You need as much sleep as possible. We could build you a litter-"

"A litter!" She yelled, slightly cringing. She reached her hand to her throat and then dropped it. Rage was dwelling on her features. "You want to drag me along the ground like rubbish!"

"My dear-"

"No! I know how litters work. You are going to tie it to the back of a horse, and then I'm going to get dragged along the ground - which happens to be forest floor. With hills and roots protruding through the soil. I will feel every single one of the grooves in the earth, and you want me to sleep on it?" Her face was becoming red, and beneath Richard's hands he could feel her start to shake slightly. She looked at him for support. He had none to give. He hung his head low. She huffed.

"Mother Confessor," it was the first time Cara had spoken since the conversation had started. Her tone was softer than normal, tip toeing around Kahlan's anger. "If you want to save your child, this is the only option we have."

Kahlan blinked away angry tears as she moved away from them all, turning her back and shaking her head in her hands. Richard nodded appreciatively to Cara. The blonde had managed to bring the reality of the situation forward without commanding Kahlan to do anything. Instead, Cara gave her a choice. This still allowed Kahlan to have some control. Richard saw her drop her hands.

"Fine." She muttered, slightly kicking at the dirt. Richard smiled sadly, even though her back was turned to him. When she turned to face him, her hands were resting on her stomach, a confused look on her face.

"Something doesn't feel right." She said it in a whisper, barely audible. If Richard wasn't so focused in on her, he wouldn't have been able to tell that it was more than a faint gust of wind. He tilted his head as he watched her fumble with her fingers. He glanced at Cara and Zedd. The blonde was still, no emotion present on her face except for her eyes - a mixture of worry and concern. If it weren't for the situation, Richard would have smiled at the Mord'Sith's affections towards Kahlan. Zedd was wearing a frown.

"What do you mean, my dear?"

Kahlan started shifting her weight from each foot, unable to stay still. Her hands still rested on her stomach. Her face was contorting to all different kinds of expressions. Richard wasn't sure what to think. She looked up at the three.

"Can you start building the litter?" Cara nodded and was already out of sight, Zedd quickly following. Richard didn't want to leave her, and certainly didn't want to leave her alone among all the dead bodies. He reached for her hand and gently tugged her back to the campsite, her other hand never leaving her stomach. He directed her to the bedroll, helping her sit down. She seemed in shock.

Kahlan watched intently as the three made the litter, Richard trying his hardest to make sure it was thoroughly padded. He didn't like the idea of dragging her behind a horse, but it made the most sense. The constant movement of riding on a horse could harm her, and walking wasn't an option. Richard would gladly carry her in his arms the whole duration, but he knew his strength would give out all too soon. A thought occurred to him.

"Zedd, why can't you heal her?" Richard stood there, stopping his work and staring at the old man. He was about to get angry if they had just upset Kahlan over nothing.

"My boy, I don't like to use magic where a new life is concerned. The damage is minor and can be healed on it's own. I'll only resort to using magic on her and the baby if it is necessary to their existence." Richard sighed, nodding his head in defeat. He didn't necessarily like the idea of using magic on her either, but now felt better that his reasoning was somewhat justified. Kahlan's knees were pulled up to her chest, her arms encircling them. Richard noticed she would get in that position a lot - especially when upset. His heart sank. He passed the materials over to Cara, who gladly accepted with no remarks. She took up his portion of the work while he went to sit by Kahlan, a hand wrapping around her waist as the other moved between her legs and torso, resting on her stomach. His hand made Kahlan let go of her grip on her legs, loosening them so she was sitting in a more relaxed position. She leaned her head against his chest and clenched her eyes shut.

"Something's wrong, Richard." Richard nodded against her head as he placed light kisses along her hair, the hand on her waist moving up and down to try and comfort her. "Something doesn't feel right." She started to squirm in his arms. Richard started to rock her back and forth, whispering to her and trying to sooth her. She relaxed in his arms and he thanked the spirits. He felt her doze off, her breathing steadying as her weight became more heavy against him.

Richard sat on the bedroll with Kahlan until Zedd and Cara had finished the litter. From what he could see, it was well padded and enforced. Richard was certain that Kahlan would feel minimal discomfort. He resumed rubbing her side, attempting to wake her up.

Her skin was clammy.

Richard's hands were rested on her side and stomach, they never veered onto her bare flesh. Now that he as trying to wake her up, he felt that she was colder than normal, that her skin was paler. Perspiration was appearing on her forehead.

"Kahlan?" He whispered in her ear, slightly shaking her to try and get her to wake. "Kahlan?" He said it louder, more rushed. Zedd and Cara were already by their side.

"Spirits, it's worse than I thought." Zedd drawled out, his hand resting on her forehead. Richard started panicking again, rocking her back and forth.

"What do you mean?" His voice was desperate, almost failing him.

"I'm not sure my boy - I think a Sister may have infected her with something." Richard's eyes grew wide.

"You think one of them used magic against her?" He choked out, his voice raspy from the lack of saliva in his mouth. He tried to swallow past the lump in his throat. Zedd nodded slowly. "But .. but .. we were fighting. How could they have just .. spelled her?" Richard wanted so badly to find fault in Zedd's theory, but he couldn't even make the argument sound convincing, let alone convince himself.

"It was a minor wound, nothing a little rest couldn't cure. She shouldn't be cold like this, she shouldn't be this sickly. If anything, she'd feel slight discomfort, nothing more." Zedd was shaking his head. If the Wizard of the First Order didn't know what was wrong with her, how was Richard supposed to know? To help? He felt like his world was crashing down around him. If anything happened to her, to their baby, he was sure he would die on the spot.

Cara was standing away from the trio, keeping an eye on Kahlan, observing her movements. Richard smiled sadly at her and she nodded in return. The two were becoming friends. Cara genuinely cared what happened to Kahlan. Kahlan, by being dominant and demanding like Cara, was bringing the blonde's humanity back. The Mord'Sith related to the Mother Confessor. Richard's attention was brought back to the woman in his arms when she started stirring slightly, parting her lips.

"She's waking," Zedd managed to say. He looked to his grandson. "This is a good sign." Richard nodded as he started to rub along her stomach again, trying to coax her into opening her eyes.

She started convulsing.

Before Richard knew it, she was coughing up blood. The red fluid was coating her dress, splattering on Zedd and Richard's face. Richard froze in shock while Zedd quickly reached for her, turning her and letting her spill the liquid on the ground, preventing her from choking on it. The blood wouldn't stop coming, her body getting exhausted from heaving so much of it out.

"Zedd!" Richard cried, trying to get his emotions under slight control. "This is necessary to her existence!" He managed to yell, pulling her hair back as she coughed up more blood. Zedd moved his hands over her womb, attempting to heal it. His eyes grew wide in shock.

"What!" Richard yelled, gripping Kahlan tighter to him as her coughing subsided slightly. Zedd retracted his hands, falling back a few steps.

"I can't."

"What do you mean you can't!" Her coughing had died down, but blood was still leaking steadily out of her mouth.

"The magic used on her - it's Subtractive."


	29. Realization

The next few days seemed unending.

Kahlan had stopped coughing up blood, but her body temperature didn't improve. She often drifted off to unconsciousness, sleeping for elongated periods of time. Zedd told Richard it was good she was sleeping, that her body was trying to fight off the magic.

Richard wasn't stupid.

Zedd had finally explained, after Richard's constant questioning grated on his nerves, what subtractive magic was and why he couldn't heal it. Richard came to the conclusion very quickly that they would only be able to heal her if they forced a Sister to do it. The possibility of that was slim to none, especially considering that he didn't want to leave Kahlan's side. For anything.

His days blurred together and the lack of sleep was taking a large toll on him. Zedd's exhaustion was apparent, but Cara still held herself steady, not showing any sign of her lack of sleep. Kahlan's litter worked well, leaving her ride on the ground as smooth as humanly possible. She never stirred. Richard wondered if that was because of the litter, or the poison running through her veins. Through their child's veins.

Richard couldn't stand knowing that Kahlan was being dragged behind them like a dead body. It only made his heart ache more - the possibility of her death more real than imaginary. Zedd hadn't spoken it, always giving Richard hope she would recover. He, however, held no false illusions. The thought of her dying ran through his mind at every moment of the day, every time he looked into her shockingly blue eyes - when they managed to open, that is.

When they first started, Richard wouldn't ride his horse. He'd hand the reigns to Cara and she'd guide the horse along while Richard would walk beside Kahlan's litter. Sometimes, Richard would pick her up and carry her if he knew they were coming across rough terrain. He wouldn't let her down until his arms were about to give out, then laying her in the litter and walking beside it again. It didn't take long for Richard's body to start giving out on him and he had to resort to riding the horse.

"There it is." Zedd said, his voice groggy and slurred. He was blinking his eyes vigorously. Richard wasn't paying attention, his thoughts focused in on Kahlan. He looked up and grunted. He then returned his gaze to his loose grip on the reigns, knowing Kahlan was trailing behind him. He sighed.

"The Wizard's Keep!" Zedd exclaimed, now full of energy. Cara cast him a side long glance, her eyebrows shooting up. Richard finally looked at where Zedd was now pointing. The city was immense, the hill they were perched on gave them a bird's eye view of it. Zedd started waving his finger, describing what certain large buildings were. Richard only chimed in on what he thought was most important.

The Confessor's Palace.

Zedd turned to Richard, ecstatic. "I must get to the Wizard's Keep!" Richard nodded slightly, his body ready to give out and his mind ready to give up. "My boy, listen to me!" He cast his gaze towards the old man. "The Wizard's Keep is a place of much magic. It offers books and magical objects that could possibly heal Kahlan." Richard's ears perked up, and he held his reigns a little tighter. He nodded more reassuringly this time, speeding his horse up as much as he could without hurting Kahlan in the process. He was now full of life, like he had just woken from a year long sleep.

The palace was huge and Richard felt as if he would get swallowed whole. Zedd had ushered them into the palace, directing a maidservant to show Richard and Cara to the Mother Confessor's room and place them in rooms nearby. The old man was then running off to the Wizard's Keep, leaving the two alone to take care of Kahlan.

Cara had been rather insistent that he should get some rest, now that they were as safe as they could be. She assured him Kahlan's condition wouldn't worsen, but Richard felt the moment he closed his eyes and took a moment for himself, he would lose her forever. He wasn't willing to take that chance. Instead, he told Cara to go to her room, soliciting a glare as she stormed through the hall.

Kahlan's room was simple yet elegant. The bed she was now resting on was large and had bedding of pure white. If she were to wear her dress while on the bed, he was certain she would blend right in, leaving only her face, chest, arms, and boots to distinguish she was even there. Richard was always curious about the Confessor's Palace, about the Mother Confessor's room. He wished he didn't have to see it under these circumstances, with Kahlan virtually lifeless.

Richard took a chair from the small sitting area at the front of the room, dragging it to the side of Kahlan's bed. He took her hand in his, grimacing at how limp it was. Her skin was cold, but her breathing was steady and slow. He had started noticing that her veins were darkening, a sickly black color enveloping them. Richard knew they would cover her whole body soon, but they currently only resided on the sides of her neck and her wrists. He sighed as he slumped his head against his hands, breathing lightly on Kahlan's skin.

This was the only time he had been left alone with Kahlan in the past two weeks, and she couldn't even move. He could tell breathing was difficult for her, her chest heaving in a great effort to make the steady breaths come. He placed her hand down gently on the bed before moving to sit beside her, the shift in weight made her sink slightly towards him. He rested his right hand on her stomach, rubbing in little circles. Richard clenched his eyes shut as he felt the tears leak out of his eyes. The liquid started coming faster and in more abundance, his body unable to hold back his sorrow.

He knew she was going to die.

His tears were falling on his hand, sliding off and gathering at the fabric of Kahlan's dress. He removed his hand, wiping the back of it across his face. He picked up her hand again, lightly squeezing and applying pressure. He placed a kiss on her skin, which was stark of all color, the poison creeping it's way up her wrist.

"I love you, Kahlan Amnell." He whispered into her hand, the tears resuming and coating her flesh. "I love you." He murmured again, his voice failing him to say anything more resound. He set her limb down and stood up, making his way to walk out of the room.

He knew she was going to die, but he wasn't about to give up on her. Surely Zedd could use his help.


	30. Limp

"This book dabbles in the illnesses subtractive magic can cause." Zedd tossed the book Richard's way. He rubbed his eyes, sinking his head down to rest on the book that was currently open. He could barely see over the stack of books that his grandfather piled in front of him. Zedd's stack was twice as tall.

The libraries in the Wizard's Keep were of the likes he had never seen before. There were multiple libraries, all with different subject matter. Zedd had told him that each used to have it's own librarian who was well versed on any book in their sector. Richard wished they were there now.

The Keep was abandoned, save the two of them. Sometimes Cara would wander in, but she couldn't get fair without Zedd's help. Zedd had explained to them that the Keep had natural defenses and barriers that kept the ungifted out. Richard was directed to hold his grandfather's arm in order to pass through the shields. Cara scoffed at the whole idea of a building guarding itself, and often found excuses to leave and check on something else. Richard knew she left because magic scared her, and knew her excuses revolved around Kahlan. He would see her silently coming out of her room at night, her face slightly flushed. Her compassion for Kahlan made his heart swell and break at the same time.

It had been two days since they had arrived in Aydindril. When Richard left Kahlan's bedside, he ordered two maidservants to stay with her at all times. She wasn't completely gone, Richard had told himself. She would wake for fleeting moments in the day, lolling her head slightly and attempting to lift her heavy lids. These glimmers where the only time the maidservants could dribble water down her throat, or encourage her to swallow a spoonful of spice soup. From what the maidservants told him, she always obliged - swallowing the substances before letting her head fall back down on the pillow.

Her condition wasn't worsening, but it wasn't improving either. She was growing thinner, her muscle slowly dwindling away. Richard feared the day her ribs would be poking through her flesh. Despite Richard's original thoughts, the darkness in her veins didn't spread to any other limbs, just settled there on her neck and wrists.

Richard was slow at reading the books. They contained things he wasn't sure would be relevant, seeing as he didn't have any prior knowledge with magic. He'd read something out loud to Zedd, only to have the old man shake his head slowly, Richard returning to skim the rest of the passage. They had gone through dozens of books in the past two days, sleeping minimal. Richard would sneak away and sit by Kahlan's bed when Zedd dozed off on top of the book piles. The walk down from the Keep to the Confessor's Palace was long and tedious, but he was quick and almost ran the distance just to steal a few moments with Kahlan. He'd bring a book or two to skim along, glancing at her after every few words. Often times, Richard would come sagging back into the library, his grandfather stirring and popping up from his position, blinking his eyes and eagerly getting back to reading. Richard knew Zedd was awake and knew that he had left - but he appreciated the gesture.

Richard was getting nowhere with research. This book talked of how subtractive magic can contaminate the one who wields it - Kahlan didn't wield subtractive magic. Or did she? He shook his head, cursing himself yet again for cutting off Zedd so many years ago. Either way, he was certain it wasn't what he was looking for. She was infected by someone else, not by her own power. He sighed heavily as he closed the book, dust lingering in the air. He glanced up at Zedd. Richard couldn't thank him enough for trying so hard to come up with a solution to help Kahlan, and even though he would scold and patronize, Richard didn't mind - it was all for the hopes of saving her.

He reached for the next book in the stack, pulling it down in front of him as he rubbed the back of his neck. He brushed some of the dust off the cover and blinked away the irritation in his eyes. He sighed, straining to read the title.

_Illnesses Caused by Subtractive Magic._

The title was promising, but then again, many had been. He learned after reading a few books that getting your hopes up would just result in them getting crushed. He looked up to Zedd. His head was leaning on his left arm, which was propped up by the stack of books. Richard gathered his newest book in his arms, slightly coughing when the dust lodged into his throat. He made his way out of the Keep, intent to see Kahlan again.

It was hot and humid outside as he made his way across the bridge that led from the Keep out near the palace. It was pitch black, the moon barely a sliver in the sky, the stars seeming to disappear and hide from the world. Richard shuddered before stepping his foot on the soft ground, walking past the courtyard and climbing onto the marble steps that led into the Confessor's Palace.

There was minimal light inside the hallways, everyone having retired to their beds hours before. Richard's feet dragged against the marble, making a corner and seeing a red blur in his vision. It was Cara. She was walking to Kahlan's room, but quickly redirected her attentions to him, walking straight towards him.

"Lord Rahl, you look exhausted." She lifted the book from his hands, cradling it to herself. "Get some sleep."

He shook his head, reaching to obtain the book again, only to have Cara step out of his reach. "Lord Rahl, you will be much faster with reading and more prone to save Kahlan if you are well rested." Richard knew she was right, but his heart wouldn't agree to the plan. He looked up at her with sad eyes.

"Cara, please .." His voice was pleading. She looked down at the book in her arms and handed it back to him, her eyes understanding and her mouth adorning a sad smile. He watched until she was out of sight before reaching for the handle of Kahlan's room.

There were candles throughout the room, giving a light aura of light. It reminded him of the first time they made love. His heart felt like it was going to shatter and tears involuntarily started trickling out of his eyes. A maidservant came up to him, her head tilting. He motioned for her and her companion to leave the room. They nodded and left, giving no protest. Richard silently thanked them for it, even though they did it every night when he would come.

A chair was already beside her bed, the maidservants placing it there for his oncoming arrival. He smiled at their gesture. He once walked in on the two talking of how odd it was that a man cared so much for the Mother Confessor without being confessed, that he would sit at her bedside while she was ill and watch over her. When the two saw him they stopped their words, quickly gathering the cloths they were using to clean Kahlan and shuffling out of the room, their cheeks red with embarrassment. Richard wondered how many of the help thought the same.

He pulled the chair closer and sat down, gently setting the book on the bedding and opening it. He used to come in and greet her with a kiss on her forehead, but the clammy contact only made his heart sink deeper into his chest. He started skimming the passages, unable to focus. He sighed and leaned back in the chair, watching Kahlan's chest rise and fall. She let out a light cough and he jumped, the motion causing Kahlan's head to turn his way and her eyelids to lift slightly. Richard choked back a sob.

"Richard?" Her voice was weak and raspy, the effort making her chest move more rapidly for intake of breath.

Richard set the book beside him on the night table, rising from his chair and sitting on the edge of the bed as slowly as he could, not to disturb her. The maidservants had informed him that most of the times her eyes managed to flutter open and her movements seemed to come to life, she'd ask for him. He was never there to witness it, but now his heart was breaking all the more. His eyes started welling with tears again.

"Yes, Amnell?" He saw what he thought was a chuckle, and he had to swallow back the lump in his throat. She was trying to open her eyes more, only slits of the blue orbs visible. The effort was making her eyebrows furrow. "Kahlan, it's okay." He moved up on the bed, moving his hand down her hair. "Just relax." She nodded lightly and her head cradled against his hand when he lifted it to touch her cheek. Her skin was cold. He had to stifle a sob.

Richard could see the moisture leaking out of her barely opened eyes, realizing this is the first time she's woken up and seen him since they had gotten to Aydindril. He felt guilty for leaving her side, but knew it was for the best, that it was the only way they could help her. He held his hand to her face and felt her slowly slip back into sleep.

Then her eyes popped open, her mouth gasping for air.

Richard mirrored the action, shock overtaking all his features. He froze, but his hands were shaking. Her back was arching, the effort to take a breath overwhelming her. The black in her veins was rapidly encompassing her body. Richard's senses finally came back to him and he reached for the book, hoping that this was the one that could help save her - even though he knew it was futile. When his hand moved towards the night table, Kahlan's right arm shot out and grabbed him by the wrist, holding him in a death grip. He almost shrieked from the strength she was using, the strength he was certain was gone. Her head turned to him, her mouth parted and her blue eyes panicking. He caught his breath. He didn't know what he could do, what would save her.

She was going to die, and he was going to be forced to watch.

Tears started falling freely from his eyes, his body no longer able to control it's actions. Her grip loosened on him as her head fell back, her body gasping even more as the poison slipped through the rest of her body. The sight was ghastly. Her whole body was covered in what looked like a black spiderweb, the veins connecting and transferring more of the poison through her body. Her chest was falling at fast intervals.

He moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he hoisted her up, letting her head fall against his shoulder as he cradled her head in his right hand, smoothing her hair. His left hand traced circles on her back. He tried to calm her, hoping that if her body relaxed, the sickness would too.

It was a failed attempt, Richard knew.

He started to rock her, cooing softly as you would a baby. His face was streaked in tears as she gasped into his skin, fighting to get air in her lungs. Her skin was growing colder by the minute, the subtractive magic coursing through every fiber of her being, claiming her.

"I love you, Kahlan Amnell." He was choking back his sobs, he had to be strong for her, to let her be weak in this moment. He wouldn't let her die without her knowing exactly how he felt about her. "I've loved you since the moment I saw you. You may not love me back, but it never hindered my undying devotion to you. I wish I could have prevented this. I wish I could have been a stronger, more competent man. I wish I could take this from you and suffer it myself. You are the strongest, most amazingly perfect woman I know, and I want you to know that if you are to die here in my arms at this very moment, I would die too."

He felt her sag against his skin, going limp.


	31. Crack

His heart stopped beating when she leaned against him, her gasps gone, her body frail. He blinked away his tears as he reached to check her pulse.

She was still alive.

Barely.

Richard had to fix this. He had to. Failing wasn't an option. He couldn't sit and hold the woman he loved until her last breath escaped her fragile body. He couldn't do it. He wouldn't do it. His mind started racing.

The books earlier had offered no help. The only thing he gathered from them was that additive magic could not heal subtractive magic.

He was the Seeker. He could do this, find a way to save the woman he loved. He leaned back, pushing her forward slightly. Her head dropped to her chest, her breath coming out in ragged huffs. She looked as if she was covered in ash, the magic in her veins not subsiding. Her skin felt like ice. Her body was light and had no weight to it. She was like a doll.

But she was a doll with a pulse.

Richard started rubbing her arms with his hands, attempting to have the friction cause heat and warm her body a bit. Instead, he felt a shock and retracted his hands. The magic was preventing him from doing anything. He repeated the action around her neck and received the same shock. The poison was much like the Keep, having defensive barriers that only those with specific attributes had access to. He had to find the crack, the one thing that would allow him to seep in and save Kahlan.

What did Richard have that this magic didn't?

His thoughts were going in all different directions, and he couldn't latch on to one for more than a fleeting moment. He let her fall back into his arms, wrapping them around her tightly. He was getting frustrated, knowing that no one could save her except the Sisters that did this to her.

He had to save her.

Kahlan's breath was coming in shorter intervals now, her body growing even colder to the touch.

He couldn't save her.

A Wizard of the First Order couldn't even come up with a solution that might work, how could he? He was a simple woods guide with an extreme ignorance to magic. He felt his whole body give up, and his tears started falling even more, making his vision blurry and his face coated. Each time he would try and blink away the moisture, more would just take it's place. He felt like he couldn't breathe, the lump in his throat blocking his airway. He started coughing as he gripped tighter to the cold woman in his arms, crying and whispering devotions to her. Her body molded wherever he positioned her, her limbs weak and nimble. She didn't even stir. Her breathing was now nothing more than a slow exhale.

Richard wrapped his arms tighter around her, pressing her against him as he cried into her shoulder, his tears falling down her blackened flesh. He couldn't speak, so he just thought.

_"Kahlan, I'm sorry I have failed you. I want so badly to save you, protect you - but I can't. I'm not able to. I don't know enough about what's inside you, what's preying on you. I know I can't save you, save our child. May the Keeper offer me clemency."_ His body was spent, tears no longer able to form. _"I don't deserve what you've given me. I'm a man who is ignorant to magic and in turn, ignorant to what has killed you. I wish I could take this sickness and project it onto myself, leaving you to live and myself to die. All I've ever wanted was to make you happy, Kahlan. But all I've succeeded to do is put you in harms way."_ Richard sighed into her skin, feeling the final breath escape her lungs. _"You are my life, and even in death my world will surround you. I love you, Kahlan Amnell. I love your beauty, your strength. Your playful ways and independent nature. I love how you are commanding yet kind. I love your stubbornness, your unwillingness to change. Everything you are is everything I've ever needed, everything I've ever wanted. And I've lost it all." _

Richard had never felt so empty in his life. His chance at a family with the woman he loved was gone. Richard felt as if the poison was slowly seeping through him, claiming him as well. He continued to hold Kahlan tightly against him, refusing to believe she was actually dead. He poured everything he had into her, his love and devotion to her, his admiration and attentions.

He felt incredibly warm, his body was tingling. He ignored the feeling, grasping onto Kahlan for dear life, begging her to breathe again. It had only been seconds since her breathing stopped, but to Richard, it felt like an eternity. He coughed and sobbed, his body so over wracked with sorrow that tears were being forced. When he looked to his hands, they were flushed. He kissed the top of Kahlan's head, whispering sweet nothing's into her hair.

He wanted more than anything for her to spring back to life.

The warming sensation didn't leave him, and kept him with his arms wrapped around Kahlan for minutes. Richard had given up hope, but wouldn't let go of her. He didn't want to pull her away from him just to see her lifeless form, her face forever resembling one of no emotion. He looked to her shoulder, where his head was currently residing. The poison was disappearing, leaving her veins and restoring Kahlan's skin to it's original porcelain color.

Richard was going to kill every single last Sister of the Dark.

Then his heart stopped. She was breathing. Not short and ragged breaths, but long and steady ones. He pulled her away, noticing his skin was now back to it's tan color. When she was at arm's length, he looked at her.

Her blue eyes were fluttering open. Her body was back to a normal temperature. She was swaying, but was also fully in control of her motions. She was exhausted. When Kahlan's orbs fully opened and settled on his, his heart felt it would combust.

He quickly swooped her up in his arms, cradling her again, as if she were a small child. She didn't object, her body still trying to comprehend what was happening, just like he was. Her coherency was coming back, her face no longer slack. He was weeping tears of joy.

Richard had found the crack.


	32. Jubilant

When Kahlan started coughing from how tight Richard was holding her, he set her gently back on the bed, smile still spread across his features.

Kahlan lifted her small hand to her head, wiping strands of sweaty hair away from her face. She blinked a few times and rolled her head to the side, letting out a small cough. She then made a move to sit up.

"No, no." Richard rushed up to her, gently grasping her shoulders and pushing her back onto the bed. She scowled at him as she tried to move up onto her elbows. It was hard to keep her down. Richard started smiling again at the struggle, ecstatic that her strength was coming back to full force. However, he still didn't want her to over work herself, but he realized suggesting she lay down wasn't an option.

He moved his hands from her shoulders and slid them down the inside of her arms, wrapping them around her body when he met her waist. Richard pulled her up to him and took her lips in his, sweet, chaste kisses. When he felt her wrap her delicate arms around his neck, he pulled away and rested his forehead on hers.

"You scared me to death, Amnell."

"Well, I almost died, Cypher."

Richard cringed. He knew she was close to dying - she did die. How she came back to life, he had no idea. He didn't have anything to say back, her grin filling him full of life once again. He started to stir and wrapped his arms tighter against her, practically pulling her onto his lap. He peppered her face with light kisses. She started giggling. Richard continued the action until he felt her hands slip down to his shoulders, lightly pushing to force him to break contact. He did. Reluctantly.

Kahlan's face was slightly flushed and it was like the Creator herself was shining down on her. Richard's mind flashed back to her blackened skin, the poison creeping it's way throughout her body. He cringed and Kahlan furrowed her eyebrows.

"Sorry." He muttered, slightly shaking his head. Her face didn't change expressions.

"Am I that unsightly?" She asked playfully, her lips pursing as her finger lightly jabbed into his shoulder. Her blue eyes were sparkling with promise of mischief, and Richard's blood started pumping a little bit faster. She was baiting him.

Richard rolled his tongue over his top teeth before his boyish grin crept onto his face, His eyebrows bunched together as he squinted at her.

"Very."

Kahlan's jaw fell in a mock gasp as she huffed and curled her fists in balls, lightly battering his torso. A hearty laugh rose from his stomach as he threw his head back, Kahlan reaching up to lightly hit his Adam's apple. Richard coughed from the contact and then pushed her down to the bed, climbing over her.

"Not nice, Mother Confessor." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, refusing to look at him.

"Not nice, Seeker." Her lips where in a tight smile, and Richard could tell she was suppressing a laugh. His hand reached down to her hip, lightly tickling. She started to squirm.

"Richard, stop that!" She screeched, trying to push him off of her when his movements became more direct. She started laughing and tears were starting to trickle out of her eyes. "Stop!" She whined, her lower lip quivering in a pout.

Richard was tickling the Mother Confessor.

In the moment the thought hit him, Kahlan was using her knees to push at his thighs, forcing him to fall over beside her. He expected her to climb on top of him, as was the usual custom, but instead she just lay there, trying to catch her breath and quickly wiping the tears from her face. When her breathing had steadied, she turned to her right side, facing him.

"Not fair, Cypher." He started chuckling again only to receive a hit from the back of her hand on his chest. He winced a bit as he kept laughing. Richard slipped his left arm under Kahlan's neck, surprised his hand was able to get past the mass of tangled hair. He scooted himself up until her face was nuzzled into his neck, wrapping his right arm around her waist to rest on her back. She huffed into his skin.

"You smell, Amnell." She scoffed as she moved to hit him, only to find that Richard had effectively trapped her arms against his body.

"I wonder why, Cypher." The mirrored conversation brought smiles to both their lips, but Richard quickly felt a pang of guilt. When she criticized him for smelling, it was due to excessive love making. When Richard criticized Kahlan of her odor, it was because she was laying in bed for a week, dying. His arms stiffened around her. Richard could feel her gaze on him.

"Cypher, stop it." When he didn't look down at her he felt her start pushing her arms against him. "Now." Her voice was authoritative and demanding, She managed to put a few inches of distance between their bodies and jerked her arms up to rest on his chest before he could pull her closer again. She tugged at his pendent. "I smell. It's a fact. Don't feel guilty for telling me the truth." He sighed as he kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry." He spoke against her skin. She gave his pendent a strong tug.

"Don't apologize," he looked down at her. "After all, you can help me get clean." Richard's eyebrows shot up and a smile was spreading across Kahlan's face.

"Oh, can I?" He rubbed his nose against hers as she nodded. "Last time, all that happened was cleaning." He pouted at her, his nose scrunching. It was her turn to laugh.

"Ah, but this time, we also don't have anywhere to be, now do we?" Richard loved how this woman thought. He shook his head as a grin appeared on his face. She was about to tug his pendent downward when Richard heard the door open. He didn't even look to see who it was, Kahlan smiling at how his undivided attention was settled on her.

"Kahlan, my dear! You're well!" Zedd bellowed, rushing closer to the bed as Kahlan sighed against Richard's skin and he moved to sit up, gesturing for Kahlan to stay in her position.

"She is." Richard started smiling again, his happiness evident over all his features and his tone of voice. Zedd called out for Cara, who came rushing into the room. Richard came to the conclusion she was waiting outside.

The blonde's eyes grew wide when she saw Kahlan, who had now rolled onto her back and was sitting at a slight angle, her head against the headboard.

"Mother Confessor!" The excitement in the Mord'Sith's voice was something Richard had never heard before, and he started laughing all the more. Kahlan smiled.

"I am very well." She responded with a slight nod, her hand fumbling with the ties of her dress, realizing how loose they had become. She scrunched her nose as she started pulling at the laces.

"My boy, how!" Zedd was in a state of shock, looking between the two of them as if they had performed some dark magic. Richard looked down at his hands, remembering how they were flushed before. He had no idea how she came back to life.

"I don't-"

"He healed me." Kahlan interrupted, absentmindedly resting a hand on her stomach.


	33. Devastation

"Healed you?" Zedd inched closer to the two, his brows furrowing as a look of utter confusion crossed his features. Richard turned his head to look at Kahlan, who was now staring out the closest window.

"Kahlan?" Richard asked gently, her head jerking to meet his gaze. She blinked.

"Oh," she dropped her head a bit, scrunching her brows as she exhaled. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." Her hands moved to bring parts of her dress closer to her, examining the fabric. Richard hadn't told the maidservants to change her, scared that it would only worsen her condition. She was still wearing her green traveling dress, blood soaked into the upper half. Richard sighed as he let his head hang low, cursing himself for not allowing the help to change her. Now she was to sit there and look at her blood stained clothing.

"Richard healed you?" Zedd coaxed, bringing Kahlan's line of sight back towards him. She nodded. "How?" Kahlan stared at him for a minute before shrugging.

"I don't know, I just know that he did." She cast a side long glance at Richard before scraping her nails against the blood stain above her breast.

Richard could hear Cara's leather creak as she shifted her weight. This was talk about magic - Cara did not want to be here. Zedd brought a hand up to his chin, rubbing as he started pacing.

Kahlan looked up at the two, her expression somewhat patronizing. "Something wrong?" She questioned. Zedd shook his head and Cara stood still, eyes never leaving Kahlan's form. Richard had turned his body to look at her, leaving Zedd and Cara to direct comments at his back. She blinked a few times before she made a disgusted look with her face.

"Wrong. Something is wrong." Zedd stopped pacing and glanced at her, eyes questioning. "Richard healed me." She repeated, drawing out each syllable. Zedd looked at her as if she were feeble minded. She sighed as she threw her hands up in the air, letting them fall to the bedding beside her. Richard had no idea where she was going, and from the expression on the faces behind him, he knew they felt the same.

"Why did the Sisters want Richard?" Kahlan looked between the three, not satisfied when they didn't answer her question quick enough. "We know they wanted to capture him. Why would they want to capture the Lord Rahl? For his Han. Richard just healed me, even though the sickness was laced with subtractive magic. That means Richard is in control of subtractive magic, which means-"

"Richard is a war wizard." Zedd blinked, his hands dropping to his side. Kahlan smiled and nodded her head before crossing her arms, clearly satisfied the wizard had picked up on what she was thinking. Richard had no idea what was happening. Cara looked slightly horrified.

"A war wizard?" Richard questioned, unable to fathom what was happening.

"A man who controls both additive and subtractive magic. There hasn't been a war wizard born in three thousand years .." Zedd's voice trailed off and Richard's eyes became wide. Richard started frantically looking between the three, his mouth opening to form words that wouldn't come.

"But .. how? And most importantly, how did you not know?" He asked his grandfather, face scrunched in disbelief. Zedd sighed and clenched his eyes shut.

"I suppose the gift has been dormant in you. War wizards pull from a great need, mostly the need to survive. Your need was for Kahlan to survive." When Richard redirected his gaze towards Kahlan, she seemed uninterested, now trying to untangle her hair with her fingers. Her nose scrunched when she would come across a strand that needed a brush, and eventually she gave up and let her hands fall to her sides.

"I'm a war wizard?" Richard asked, mostly to himself. Zedd nodded and Cara shifted her weight again. "But .. I .. I don't even know anything about magic. I can't .." He started shaking his head, dropping it to his hands, rubbing his eyes. Zedd rested a hand on his shoulder.

"My boy, all will be well. I'll help teach you how to control your magic." Richard sighed as he nodded, he felt Kahlan's weight shift in the bed, her legs coming up to her chest as she wrapped her arms around them. Her head was facing him, her expression light.

"I suppose I picked quite the worthy mate. The Seeker, Lord Rahl, and a war wizard." She grinned at him and promises of what was to come filled Richard's head.

"Ah, my child, but I believe he picked you." Zedd joked, laughing. Kahlan scoffed and used her hand to brush away the suggestion. Richard laughed, shaking his head.

"No, she definitely picked me." He said through his chuckles, Kahlan smiling even wider.

Richard heard Cara's leather creak again and was surprised to hear her voice. "What of the child?"

Zedd turned and looked questioningly at the Mord'Sith and Richard's heart started hammering in his chest as he glanced over at Kahlan. Her face wore no emotions. A Confessor's face. He was having a hard time catching a breath.

"Oh, Cara, you worry too much! Didn't you hear? Richard healed them." He jabbed a bony elbow at the Mord'Sith, whose expression didn't waver. Zedd quit his cheery demeanor.

"No," Cara drawled out, her expression darkening. "He healed her. No mention of the baby was made." Zedd drew his head back, looking to Kahlan. She was still sitting with her head facing Richard. Richard felt like his heart was going to stop.

"Check." His voice was small, but Zedd heard it. Kahlan stretched her legs out to allow the old man to hover above her, checking to see if the small life was still intact. She showed no emotion as he moved his hand above her stomach, his face growing with sorrow.

"I'm sorry, dear ones." He managed to say before he backed away, taking steps away from the two and moving back to his position by Cara - who was now frowning. Richard's vision became blurry and he blinked to try and clear his sight, only to see his grandfather's eyes growing watery too. Kahlan hadn't moved.

Richard moved closer to her, taking her right hand in his left, and using his other hand to guide her chin to look at him.

"You knew?" He questioned, her eyes regaining a bit of emotion as she nodded slightly, attempting to draw away from his gaze. Richard felt his heart jump into his throat.

Zedd shook his head. "Kahlan wasn't eating enough to sustain her, let alone a wee one. The child was too underdeveloped to be able to fight for it's life, and the magic quickly snuffed it's chance when it over took Kahlan." Zedd looked to Richard with watered vision. "Kahlan died."

Richard nodded as he held Kahlan's hand close to his chest.

"You brought her back from death?" Cara asked incredulously. Richard only managed to nod again before the room became a blur and he had to blink away the moisture. When his sight managed to clear slightly, Cara was adorning a facial he had never seen before - one of utter disbelief.

"His need was for Kahlan to survive, not specifically for the child." Zedd interjected, his voice heavy with sadness. Richard blinked.

"How was I supposed to know? I didn't even know I healed her .." His voice trailed off as he gripped Kahlan's hand tighter, her eyes now brimming with unshed tears. She smiled sadly at him.

"It doesn't matter." Kahlan's voice was clear and untouched, emotion not causing it to waver at all. When Richard gazed into her eyes again, the moisture was blinked away, leaving her blue orbs unclouded and brilliant. She smiled at him, this time with more light.

"Of course it matters." Richard managed to choke out, certain his face was blotchy from all the emotions that were overwhelming him. She shook her head as she smiled. Richard didn't know what to say. She was perfectly fine with their child being dead, not able to breathe a breath of life on it's own. Zedd looked equally shocked at the statement, while Cara looked as if she had a different emotion - understanding.

Richard started to feel resentment towards Kahlan and her lack of caring for their unborn child, the child that was now lifeless in her womb. His face started to distort as she continued to smile, her hands moving to grasp his face. He looked at her with a mixture of disdain and sadness. He hung onto the silence until she finally spoke.

"We can always try for another."


	34. Settled

Over the next two weeks Kahlan and Richard had fallen into a routine. Kahlan's time was mostly spent handling matters as the Mother Confessor while Richard spent more and more time with Zedd, hoping to learn something of the magic he now possessed.

Richard hadn't learned anything.

The whole concept of him having magic eluded him, and his mind automatically shut down whenever Zedd would try to teach him. Richard loved learning, but he hated this. Other than saving Kahlan, Richard felt the magic was a burden, not the gift that Zedd described it to be. His grandfather would often get frustrated with him and send him away, generally with some joke about making great grand children. He knew that the old man was trying to cheer him up, but it only depressed Richard more. The thought of having another child when the first had died before living made Richard feel guilty - as if having another would disrespect the original's memory.

Although Kahlan's days were spent ruling the Midlands, her demeanor never faltered. She acted much the same as the first day Richard had met her, and it often built up his resentment towards her. He couldn't comprehend why she wasn't touched by the event in any way. The whole reason they met was for her to make a union between D'Hara and the Midlands in the form of a child. She should be upset. When she would notice Richard in one of his down moods, she would place a gentle hand on his skin and offer a sad smile, always letting him know that one day they will have another.

He hated her for that as well.

Richard would cringe when thoughts of hatred towards her crept into his mind, but he couldn't help it. He knew he didn't actually hate her, but he hated her behavior at times. All the things he adored about Kahlan, her independence, her strength, her demeanor, were all things that made him enraged each time he saw her.

On the nights they had alone, when Richard wasn't too exhausted, they would retire to the bed together. The spark they had in the beginning was gone, and Richard knew it was because of him, not her. She was insatiable, always enthused about the physical contact. Richard's body would comply, but his mind was elsewhere. He didn't know if it was because of his depression or his new found feelings for her that made love making seem like a task instead of a pleasure. He knew Kahlan noticed the difference, but she never said anything to him.

Their days were filled with meaningless conversation, small talk. Kahlan was just as playful as ever, but Richard never let her bait him anymore, always nodding when she tried to banter with him or walking out of the room when she entered.

Richard could feel Kahlan's resentment towards him growing.

He knew it wasn't her fault they had lost the child, and knew her reasoning was sound - they could always have another. Richard was upset over one thing, and one thing alone. She just didn't seem to care. About anything. Kahlan shrugged things off that he viewed serious and ignored emotions he was certain she should have.

Richard was sitting on the edge of the bed when Kahlan sauntered in, and Richard was immediately aware of her mischievous mood. He knew his love for her hadn't faltered, or else he would be confessed. That was the only thing he took solace in. Richard appreciated how she tried to bring him back to his former self, but the nagging in the back of his head wouldn't stop. Before she could position herself in front of him, he spoke.

"Why don't you care?" His head was hung low, his hands resting on his knees. He didn't bother to look up at her, but he knew her well enough to know that her eyebrows were furrowing in question.

"Care about what?"

"Everything." His voice was deep and raspy, trying to speak past the lump in his throat. He knew he wouldn't like the answer, but he had to know why Kahlan was such an emotionless shell.

In response, she placed her fingers under his chin, forcing him to look up at her.

"Elaborate." Her word was sharp, slightly laced with venom. This was a dangerous subject to tread on, and Richard knew the risk of Kahlan's bite. The threat of confession wasn't there, but Richard knew this woman could make his life horrendous in a blink of an eye. Her blue eyes were harsh and cold, seeing through Richard.

"Our child." He had to swallow past the lump in his throat. If they were to talk about this at an earlier time, tears would have freely fallen from his eyes. Now, however, the topic was a dull pain in his chest, coursing through his veins.

She retracted her hand from under his chin and stood with her back erect. It seemed as though she was towering over him, her arms crossed beneath her breasts as her eyes narrowed.

"I thought we were over this, Richard."

"I'll never be over this, Mother Confessor." His words were harsh and sharp, the title at the end receiving more of his anger than the rest of the sentence. She didn't care because she was the Mother Confessor, that was the source of his fury. Instead of the depression that regularly took over him, he was now fuming with rage. He could see she was as well.

"You are incredibly ignorant." She turned to walk away, the heels of her boots making hard contact with the marble. He jumped from his seat, grabbing her arm and twisting her around with force. He grabbed both of her shoulders and shook her, the two glaring into each other.

"How am I ignorant? Because I care?" His voice held the same amount of venom as hers, but he realized this was still going to be a losing battle. Richard knew she had been holding something back, some reasoning behind her actions. That would be the nail in his coffin.

"No, because you expect me to." Rage was dancing in her eyes, her body stiffening under his touch. His hands gripped her shoulders, his fingers digging into her flesh. The contact held Kahlan in her place, but Richard knew it wasn't a real defense. If she didn't want to have this conversation, she could very easily break his hand and walk out of the room.

Richard didn't have a response. Instead, his nails dug into her flesh even more, eyes narrowing at her. Her blue orbs did the same as her hands reached up and grabbed his wrists, flinging his limbs off of her in an instant. She didn't move.

"Richard Cypher, I am the Mother Confessor-"

"Do you think I don't know that!"

"Do not cut me off!" Kahlan's hands were in fists, her face heating. He had never seen her so angry before, and he quickly realized he was falling over the very thin line that kept them, or more precisely her, from killing one another. He felt his whole argument falter and he started to sway on his feet before she spoke again.

"I am the Mother Confessor. I was not taught to care about what happens to me. It is unheard of for a Confessor to be with a man she actually cares for, a man who has loved her enough to break past the barrier of her magic. I was not taught for that possibility either. I adjusted. However, the minute I start caring about what happens to myself, the Midlands will fall. I invest all my emotions into my people. It is selfish of me to care for myself and it will ultimately be the downfall of my land if I do. Yes, we lost our baby. Yes, it is a sad situation. But no, I will not dwell on it when we can just have another. This was not a once in a lifetime opportunity, nothing real substantial has been lost. When I divert my attentions away from the Midlands and onto myself, important matters won't be settled because I will be too busy enveloped in my own cloud of emotions. Kingdoms have fallen for less. I invest myself in the Midlands, Richard."

"Invest your emotions in me!" He bellowed, his hands mirroring Kahlan's, his fingers biting into his skin. His vision was in a haze, his mind trying to comprehend all she had said. This was the hidden argument, the final word to the situation. She was right. She hadn't been taught to care about herself, she had been taught to sacrifice herself. She has the entire Midlands to rule over, if her attention was submerged in her own emotions for even a second, a full blown war could occur. Still, he wanted so badly to know that she cared, even slightly.

Her stiffened composure relaxed slightly, her eyes portraying a different emotion than before.

"If I invest my emotions in you, Lord Rahl, then the Midlands will most certainly fall." Her voice was now calm, her body shedding all the anger and hatred she had been fueling off of. Richard blinked a few times, relaxing his hands and lifting them to rub at his temples. He took note of how she said his title. Bitterness.

"What do you mean?" Those were the only words he managed to muster, his head swimming in a sea of thoughts - all turned against what he so desperately wanted.

"You are weaved into my emotions, Richard. Despite what you may think, I have already let many walls fall for you to be able to be this close to me. Since I met you, more emotions have been surfacing, and it disgusts me that a single man can break down a lifetime of training in only a few months. If I fully invest my emotions in you and what you feel, then I will be nothing more than a simple woman - not the leader of the Midlands." Richard's heart broke for her. She would never know the simple pleasures of just being a woman. Sure, he was able to make love to her without being confessed, but she was emotionally cut off from everything that was not of a help to her people, to the Midlands. He now understood why she always kept herself at arms length, why she wouldn't admit, or couldn't feel, love for him. Why the loss of a single unborn child didn't shake her to the core.

"I'm sorry." He muttered, his head hanging low, his arms at his sides in defeat.

"Don't be." Her voice was soft and Richard lifted his head to meet her eyes, which seemed to be shining. "You're a rare person, Richard Cypher. You have made the Mother Confessor feel things that have never before been felt by a Confessor. All Confessor's have known is loneliness. Since I met you, I have felt nothing of the sort." Richard smiled at her, nodding slightly. He felt horrible for resurfacing all these suppressed feelings from her, but it was something he needed to know.

"Now," her voice tore him from his thoughts. "I will not have you depressed about this lost child incident any longer. The more you dwell on it, the more my heart threatens to break for you, in turn, threatening my stance towards the Midlands." He nodded at her as she took a step forward.

"To get your mind off of this, we will make another child." He looked at her, suddenly feeling that making love to this woman was no longer a chore, but a privilege. He nodded as she reached her right hand up to wrap it around his pendent. The next words that spilled from her mouth made a shiver run up his spine.

"Then it's settled." She purred as she closed the distance between the two.


	35. Protection

Now that Richard knew why Kahlan was emotionally cut off, he was more invested in getting to know her work as the Mother Confessor. He often sat in on meetings and rulings, learning how she managed the Midlands and exactly what kind of ruler she was.

From what he had gathered, she held very little mercy, yet she was incredibly fair.

Kahlan held each case up to Aydindril's rules, but often found loopholes where the accused would receive a lesser sentence. Sometimes Kahlan would over rule a precedent all together, making a new one by doing so. Her methods baffled Richard.

All of the rulings happened in the same room - the one with the Confessor's chair. It wasn't incredibly ornate, but it made a stance, and was most definitely the focal point of the area. Kahlan looked even more commanding when she sat in the chair, leaning her arm on the right arm rest and angling her body, her legs crossed. Not only was she commanding, she was seductive.

Richard sat in a desk to the side, out of Kahlan's way. He was able to observe the proceedings as closely as he could. Kahlan would offer him a side glance every once in awhile, her eyebrow shooting up. She didn't understand why he would want to sit in on these events, they weren't necessarily exciting, and she urged him to learn more about his magic instead of her work.

It had only been a few days since their confrontation, but Richard felt this was a new beginning. Now his mind wasn't clouded with questions and he didn't have to dwell on every move she made that didn't seem to make sense to him.

Oddly, he now found her even more alluring.

Richard watched as the final person was hauled off into the custody of the guards. Richard hadn't paid attention to much of the case, disgusted by the details. The man wasn't well known, living off of the streets, supposedly preying on young women who walked by. There were many girls who told of their experiences, of their rapes. The women urged Kahlan to bring justice, but the man was holding firm on his innocence. Richard wasn't sure what she was going to do. He was shocked when he saw her rise from her chair and walk over to the man, placing a hand around his throat and confessing him, him dropping to his knees before her as she took a step back. He then confessed all he had done to the girls, making Richard cringe and stifle his urge to purge out his lunch. He was then very disgusted that Kahlan had to touch such a man, and then his mind raced to that man touching her. Richard decided that he would ask what hearings would be made before he sat in on them. He was happy to see the man dragged to what the guards had called "the pit."

Kahlan was now sitting back in her chair, thumbing through some papers as she blew a strand of hair out of her face. She had taken to wearing her Confessor's dress constantly, having no need to switch out of it. Her hair was done every morning by maidservants, making it curlier than normal and having parts of it tied back, keeping it from her face. Apparently, one strand was defiant and continued to dangle in her eyesight.

After Richard had healed her, Kahlan had insisted they go after the Sisters and terminate them all. Cara eagerly agreed. However, Richard was hesitant to throw Kahlan back into the situation, and she refused to stay behind. She was convinced if she didn't go, someone would end up killed. Richard was fairly certain she was right. After all, she's the only reason he survived the attack. Zedd had told her that when the time came, they would deal with the situation. Kahlan responded by saying that the longer the wait, the higher the chance of her becoming pregnant, and hence, the higher the chance of one of them dying. Richard was happy to see that she didn't want to lose another child again, noticing that she was implying she would have to stay behind if she were to become pregnant. Eventually, Kahlan tired of arguing with the old man and dropped the subject.

And now she was blowing the strand out of her face yet again.

Richard smiled as he pushed his chair away from the desk, a slight scratching noise following. She didn't look up from her papers, her brows wrinkling together and her lips pursing as she blew out more air to push the strand back for a mere second. He made his way to the chair and gently used his fingers to grasp the strand of hair, moving to tuck it between pieces of her hair that were firmly in place, hoping that the weaving he was doing would hold it. When he was done positioning the unruly strand, he took a step back, watching her to see if it would fall again. It didn't.

Kahlan looked up at him and smiled, her countenance already relaxing. Richard had become very aware in observing her that it wasn't as easy to distract her from her work as it was to distract him. In D'Hara, Kahlan had very easily persuaded him to abandon his work to enjoy in pleasures with her, but in Aydindril, no such thing would happen. However, Kahlan was very efficient in her work, and whenever Richard would show interest, she'd manage to get it done in a surprisingly fast manner.

Since the fight, she was getting all of her work done in a surprisingly fast manner.

Richard turned to walk out of the room, as was the regular custom, when he heard her whine behind him. He turned to see her pouting, arms crossed, one hand full of papers. He cocked his head to the side and lifted his eyebrows.

"Yes, Mother Confessor?" Richard always addressed her by title when she was sitting in her chair. He felt it would be wrong to call her anything else, and when he tried, the words wouldn't move past his throat. Kahlan sat in her chair the majority of the day, to which Richard called her by title. However, when she would remove herself from the chair, the compulsion to call her by her title died, making their personal moments seem even more intimate.

He stood there waiting for a response, unsure of what to do. This had never happened before. She dropped the papers to the floor and beckoned him with her finger as she stood.

"You know," she began, running her fingers through her hair and down to the laces of her dress, slightly tugging on them. "The staff won't be cleaning this room for hours."

Richard smiled as he continued to make his way towards her at a slow pace. "And why is that?"

"Because I told them not to." She responded playfully, wrapping a lace around her finger and pulling, causing the dress to tighten around her corset. Richard's breath caught in his throat. The added pressure was practically making her spill out of the fabric. When she noticed his reaction she let go of the lace, allowing the dress to return to fit her figure normally. "I told them I would be very busy." Her eyebrow rose as she bit her bottom lip.

"Very busy?" Richard's hands were behind his back and his boyish grin overtook his features.

"Well," Kahlan said with a pout, looking down as she started pulling at the laces again. "Will I be?"

Richard nodded as he closed the distance. "Very."

She giggled as he reached down and grabbed fistfuls of her dress, thankful that she wasn't wearing the black pants underneath it. He gathered the fabric in his hands, urging it up her body. When her thighs were fully exposed and his hands were wrapped in the fabric around her waist, he hoisted her up, her legs wrapping around him as he turned around, settling himself in her seat. She laughed into his kiss, his hands releasing the fabric and resting on her thighs.

"Daring to sit in the Mother Confessor's chair?" She murmured, leaning her head down to place kisses along his jawline. He laughed and traced patterns over her thighs.

"I believe that is a treasonous offense." She spoke into his skin, moving down to his neck. She nipped at his pulse point, causing it to race even more than it had previously been. While she was busy leaving sloppy kisses on his neck, he moved his right hand up her thigh, quickly making contact with her shorts. She shifted, allowing him more room. Instead of pulling at the clothing, he relished the feel of her and started laughing. Kahlan pulled back and sat on top of him, huffing as she crossed her arms. The strand of hair had escaped, and she blew more air to try and remove it from her face.

"What are you waiting for, Seeker?" She teased as she placed her hands on his shirt, pulling him up to meet her lips.

"Me."

Kahlan jumped slightly at the voice, turning around to see Cara standing, hand on her hip. Kahlan made a face and Cara scoffed, Richard trying to pull himself out of his haze of lust.

Even when they can be together, someone was always trying to stop them.

"Yes, Cara?" Richard's voice was testy. Kahlan moved to stand, but Richard encircled an arm around her and pulled her body back down towards his. Richard's arousal was all too evident, and he would not hear the teasing of the blonde for days to come. When Cara pursed her lips at him, Richard sighed and held Kahlan tighter as he stood, carrying her with him to meet Cara. Kahlan wrapped her arms around his neck, tugging lightly at his hair.

"Yes, Cara?" He repeated, his hold on Kahlan still tight. He realized quickly that this was also a bad idea. Having Kahlan pressed so close against him didn't kill his desire, and her bare thighs crushing against his sides was enough to drive him mad.

"A unit of the D'Haran army has arrived."

Richard felt Kahlan stiffen in his arms, and was certain that if he could see her face that it would be scowling. She started plucking at his hair more forcefully, causing him to wince as he felt the follicles being pulled from his skin. He still didn't let her down.

"Thank you, Cara."

Kahlan started digging her nails into the skin on his neck.

"Where do you want them positioned?"

Kahlan moved her head down to bite his neck hard enough to draw blood.

"Just outside of Aydindril, no need to bring them within the city walls."

"But, Lord Rahl-"

"No!" Kahlan yelled, punching Richard in the shoulder and urging him to let her down. After her third blow, he finally did as she wished. She positioned herself between the two, facing neither of them. From where she was, she could glance to both of them. "No."

Cara pursed her lips as she eyed Kahlan. Richard tried to clear his thoughts. One thing was certain, he was no longer aroused.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Kahlan was waving her arms in a dramatic fashion, face going red with rage. "I do not want D'Haran soldiers anywhere near Aydindril!" Her hands were now clenched in fists beside her.

Richard tilted his head to the side and opened his mouth to speak when Kahlan lifted a finger in his direction. "No." She growled through clenched teeth.

"Mother Confessor, this is absurd." Richard sighed, knowing the heat of Kahlan's wrath was now going to be directed towards the Mord'Sith.

"What is absurd is placing D'Haran soldiers outside of Aydindril! These people have suffered enough by the hands of your soldiers and now they are standing guard outside the city? How are people now going to view my and Richard's union? It's-"

"I want to protect you." Kahlan's rage died down as her eyes focused in on Richard, who was now wearing a frown.

"What?" She choked out, not prepared for the proclamation while she was arguing.

"I want to protect you," he repeated, taking a step towards her. "I know it's a ridiculous thought. I know you can protect yourself and your people, but I want to help. After the .. incident, I just want to be better prepared if something dangerous comes your way. They aren't here to barricade the Midlands or to make people uneasy, they are here because I want to offer all I can to protect you - because you are all that matters to me. Surely, the people will see that the union is sound." Her face distorted and she clenched her eyes, mouth agape. Richard closed the distance and took her hands in his, forcing them to relax and mold into his embrace. "I just want to protect you." He repeated, more tenderly than before. Her blue eyes looked up at him through her lashes, dissatisfaction still shining through.

"Fine." The word was sharp and rushed, as if it pained her to say it. She glanced over to Cara. "Outside the city walls."

"But-"

"One small," Kahlan's eyes narrowed at the blonde, "very small, unit can come into the city. However, they will not roam the streets. They will be stationed inside the Confessor's Palace." Cara nodded her approval as she walked out of the room, Kahlan huffing and getting frustrated that her hair was again falling in her face. Richard leaned in and placed a light kiss on her lips.

"Thank you." He murmured.


	36. Confession

Kahlan had not been happy about the D'Haran army residing in and around Aydindril, even if it was just a unit. She also made sure to let Richard know how displeased she was with the situation. However, she was very cordial to the soldiers she met, all eager to meet the Lord Rahl's love. Their previous thoughts of her being a monster that would turn him into her slave had subsided, now knowing that they could freely be together. Some soldiers were disgusted with the Lord Rahl being devoted to one woman, but they didn't voice their objections.

Kahlan intimidated the soldiers, even when she was being nice. Richard knew part of it was because of the power she held, but he didn't know what other reason there would be to be afraid of her. Cara had informed him that the soldiers were wary that a woman with such considerable strength had the Lord Rahl wrapped around her finger. Richard had laughed. Cara didn't share his amusement.

Richard was shocked when Kahlan took the initiative to become better acquainted with the generals and commanders. She now knew each by name. He wasn't sure if she called them by their names out of friendship or a lack of respect.

There was a slight wooded area around the Confessor's Palace, near the courtyard. Richard had taken to spending many hours in the tiny forest, clearing his mind and escaping from the duty he felt he had now that part of the army was near. Kahlan hadn't known he would wander out into the area, she was mostly too consumed in her own work to pay mind to where he was at all hours of the day. However, her accuracy of finding him astonished Richard.

Richard almost drew his sword when he heard twigs break behind him, followed by a voice he knew all too well.

"Your army is quite annoying." Kahlan was making her way through the brush, gathering her mass of hair in her hand, keeping it away from her perspiring neck. When she reached him she dropped the hair and exhaled deeply.

She had changed into her green traveler's outfit. Richard smiled as she fiddled with a tie, working her hair up into a messy bun. He was confused as to why she hadn't done that before she had come into the forest, but didn't ask. She saw the question in his eyes.

"The first tie broke." She simply stated, finishing her hair and huffing as she let her arms fall to her sides.

"And why are they annoying?" Richard asked, smiling and feeling more at home than he ever did before.

"Well, they seem to have this notion that the Lord Rahl is in love with me." She grinned mischievously as she took a few paces forward, her arms crossing below her breasts. "They won't stop pestering me about it."

Richard threw his head back and laughed, the thought of her dumbfounded by the soldiers onslaught of questions and statements filling his mind. When his laughter subsided she was still standing before him, arms crossed and foot tapping. "The point?" Roles reversed, he was now baiting her.

"Well, they also seem to have another notion." Her tone was no longer playful. Richard's eyebrows shot up in questioning. "They all seem to think I'm in love with you." Richard's heart dropped into his stomach as he sighed, looking down at his feet, which were now kicking around dirt.

"Do they, now?"

"Yes, they do. I wonder who put that idea into their heads." Richard looked up at her, his heart breaking and his voice lost. He wanted nothing more than for her to be in love with him, but he knew the cause was lost. She cared, that's all that mattered to him.

"I don't know, Kahlan. Maybe they assume that since I'm in love with you, you return the feelings. It is, after all, unheard of for a woman to not succumb and love the Lord Rahl." Richard bit his tongue after he said it, realizing his words seemed to criticize her for not feeling the same. When he looked at her, he realized that what he thought was true. Her jaw had fallen and her eyebrows were wrinkled together, her nose scrunched.

"You know I don't mean it like that, Kahlan." He began, apologizing. She flicked her hand at him and redirected her gaze, breathing heavily.

"Whatever they think, fix it." Her tone was sharp.

"I can't just fix that, Kahlan. It's their thoughts."

"Fix it." Her glare alone seemed to be able to kill him. "Somehow, word has gotten to the people of Aydindril that I am hopelessly in love with the Lord Rahl. That is a lie." Richard knew her words weren't meant to hurt him, just to shine light on the subject at hand. This was a lie, he knew it. He also knew she was the Mother Confessor, one bound to truth. Having a lie spread about her was blasphemy, and he was certain it was treasonous on some grounds. He nodded as he sighed, silently promising her that he would find a way to fix this. When she turned to leave, he became brave.

"Kahlan?" His voice was steady, more steady than he imagined it would have been. He watched her as she turned around, more tendrils of her hair falling around her face. "Maybe someday it won't be a lie." He said it with such conviction that it surprised him. He smiled at her sadly and turned away, more content to look at the trees than to hear her response.

"It will always be a lie, Richard." He clenched his eyes and placed his hands behind his back, still facing away from her.

"You never know, Amnell." He hoped the name would lighten the situation. "I've broken down quite a few walls already." He looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. He saw pain flash through her features as she took a few steps forward and he moved to face her once again.

"You'll never break down that wall, Richard." She wasn't returning the playful use of names. Richard knew this conversation was heading downhill, fast. "There isn't a wall to break." He stared at her incredulously, his brows furrowing together.

"I don't understand." He managed to say, urging her for a further explanation that he was sure he was going to regret.

"I don't believe in love." Her voice held no emotion and Richard was sure that he would have fallen to his knees if it weren't for her gaze intently holding him where he was. She didn't believe in love? His mind was lost in a cloud of thoughts when he heard her voice again. "Richard?"

"How can you not believe in love?" His voice was rushed and panicked, as if she had just demolished his dreams. She offered him a thin lipped smile as she moved some stray strands of hair from her face.

"As a Confessor, we never learned about love. The only thing we knew is that we would never have it. Growing up, I realized that nothing good comes from this world. After meeting Darken Rahl, I was sure of it. My whole life I have been isolated, despised by men and women alike. A man who wished to touch me was viewed as foolish, a man not worth his life. Being with a Confessor was viewed as a death sentence, even though the man didn't died. After being told from childhood that I would never know love, never experience it, I just don't believe it exists. Why would something described as so wonderful be held back from a certain group of women? The concept baffles me." She was so sure in her words, as if it was just a common fact that love was a myth. Richard wouldn't believe it, he'd find a way to make her believe in love. He had to. He shook his head and laughed lightly.

"Amnell, you are rather dysfunctional." She scoffed and playfully hit his shoulder before turning to leave the forested area. When a tree limb caught her sleeve, she cursed. When Kahlan untangled herself, she looked over her shoulder to Richard.

"Why you find this place relaxing, I will never know." It was Richard's turn to scoff at Kahlan, soliciting a sarcastic eye rolling from her as she made her way out of the woods.

When he was certain she was out of sight, he slumped against a tree and slid down, his eyes becoming blurry.

The woman he was madly in love with didn't believe in love.


	37. Simple

Richard had gone into town every day since Kahlan's confession of not believing in love. He tried to convince himself that it was because he wanted to better acquaint himself with the city, but he knew it was because being in the Confessor's Palace only depressed him more. He hadn't spoken more than a few words to Kahlan the few times they saw each other. More often than not, when Richard came back to their room, she was already asleep. Richard would climb into the bed carefully, sleep a few hours, and leave before she awoke.

He was convinced that Kahlan thought Richard was depressed.

He wasn't.

Richard was proud of the facade he put on, acting as if sadness was over taking him and he couldn't bare to be in the same room with her. Granted, the day after their conversation that is exactly how he felt. He had gone into the city to try and relieve his mind, only finding that the entire city of Aydindril marveled over the Mother Confessor's mate. The towns people often asked him if he wanted anything, offering him objects free of charge. Richard always declined, and if he found something he actually liked, he paid for it. Over the span of two days, Richard was certain he had seen everything the city had to offer. He started to shrug off the offers of free items and he would wander the streets with no particular agenda.

Until he saw a tiny bouquet of white lilies, wrapped around the stem with a blue ribbon.

It was the third day that he was going into the city and he had rushed out of the bedroom, noticing Kahlan stirring at an earlier hour than usual. He heard her mumble when he swiftly closed the door and rushed out of the Confessor's Palace. He had never been into the market place that early, it was just a little after dawn. As was the routine, vendors kept offering him free items, imploring him to take some of their merchandise. He continued to go through the same streets he had been the previous days, but was compelled to take a right where he usually took a left when he came upon the honey cake stand. The new street didn't have much to offer, the stands more run down than those in the central market place. He was about to turn around when he saw the bouquet.

An old woman wrapped in a shawl was sitting behind the little wooden stand, her graying hair piled atop her head in a bun, strands of unruly hair erratically sticking out. Her face was wrinkled and worn, and her stand offered very little to buy. There were a few bronze trinkets, various colored stones, small wooden bowls with designs carved into the sides, and the lone bouquet of white lilies.

"Why hello there, Lord Rahl. Are you interested in anything an old woman has to offer?" Richard was surprised at her smooth voice, one that didn't seem hindered by her age. Normally, he would have been taken aback that she knew him by title, but he had quickly learned that everyone in Aydindril knew the Lord Rahl. What had shocked him was that everyone was quite friendly, even though his predecessor had wreaked havoc upon them. He assumed it was just because of his standing with Kahlan, but other times he wasn't sure.

He smiled as he strolled up to the stand, the first smile he had since learning Kahlan didn't believe in love. "Why yes, I believe you do."

The old woman beamed up at him. She was missing a few teeth, but her smile was warm and genuine, and Richard couldn't help but smile back. She fumbled with her shawl, wrapping it tighter around herself.

"What's your name?" He asked, suddenly interested in learning more about this woman. She looked shocked at the question, hunching her shoulders a bit as her cheeks reddened.

"Maria." She was looking down at the frayed ends of her cloth, picking at them.

"Well, Maria, aren't you just a breath of fresh air?" Maria returned her gaze to him and looked as if she were glowing, she started nodding her head as she looked down at her stand. She looked as though she were ashamed of what she had to offer.

"Anything interest you, Lord Rahl?"

Richard picked up the small bouquet of flowers, rolling them slightly in his hands. Three lilies bound together by a tiny blue ribbon. The simple elegance of them was astonishing. He lifted up the flowers and looked at Maria.

"I think I would like to give these to the Mother Confessor. An elegance to match her own." Maria blushed and moved her hands to shoo him away.

"As you wish, Lord Rahl."

Richard shook his head as he put the flowers back down on the table. "Maria, how would you like to help me plan a surprise for the Mother Confessor?" Her eyes grew wide as as she nodded her head vigorously, causing Richard to smile so hard that it hurt.

"What .. what do you need?" Maria stammered out, her hands unable to remain still.

"Well, first, I'm going to need a lot more of these lilies." He smiled at her as she shuffled around the stand, urging him to follow her.

It took Richard and Maria three days to gather everything Richard needed. He thanked the spirits for the timing, knowing that Kahlan was going to be in meetings all day. Richard now had all the time he needed to set up.

Maria had shown him where she had acquired the lilies, and Richard was shocked to see so many of them growing freely among the meadow. Maria explained that not many people come back into the area, most scared that since it was in a poorer sector that they would get robbed or harmed.

After gathering a couple dozen lilies, Maria had kept them behind her stand and added to the amount each day. Richard would go into the market place more alert, paying more attention as to what the vendors were selling. One insistent woman kept shoving various pieces of jewelry in his face, and Richard had to lift his hands in front of him in order to make her take a few steps back. He became aggravated and started pushing through the tiny crowd around the stand, but something caught his eye.

Instead of pushing through the crowd to escape, he was now pushing through the crowd to get closer. Richard picked up a small bracelet, sapphire stones adorning the silver. The silver band was small and the blue stones encircled around the entire thing. Richard dropped a small bag of gold on the table before making his way out of the crowd with the bracelet in hand.

Richard had noticed that Kahlan didn't wear much jewelry, but he knew she was fond of it. The only jewelry he had seen in her room was her mother's blue necklace, and Richard quickly came to the conclusion that blue had a personal meaning to her. When he showed Maria his newly purchased gift, she giggled like a little girl and praised his taste. Richard laughed and gave the old woman a quick hug, instructing her to grab the lilies. She had followed him into the Confessor's Palace and into the Mother Confessor's room, resting the lilies on the nearest table that was large enough to hold them. Maria was quite giddy to be in the Mother Confessor's room, and was reluctant to take Richard's payment, saying that being allowed into the palace was enough. Richard shook his head as he pressed the bag of gold into her hand, telling her goodbye and that he would soon see her again.

It had taken Richard around an hour to adjust everything to his liking. The amount of lilies gathered was perfect, providing just enough of the white flowers to shower the floor evenly and create a moderate sized bouquet. He wrapped the stems of the bouquet in a thick blue ribbon and placed them on the center of the bed. The smell of honey cakes enveloped the room, and the light from the candles made the room glow. He stood by the window and watched as the moon made it's way into the sky, leaving only the candlelight glowing behind him.


	38. Attempts

Shortly after Richard had gone to the window, he heard the door scrape open. The steps were light and familiar. Kahlan.

"What's this?" When he turned around to look at her, her eyes were traveling along the floor, her mouth slightly parted and smiling. She furrowed her brows as she debated whether or not to step on the petals. She slowly pushed the door closed behind her, and Richard heard the distinctive cling of the lock. Kahlan looked to the table beside her, picking up one of the lilies and twirling it in between her fingers. She looked back at Richard and smiled.

"Just a surprise." He beamed at knowing how taken aback she was, how this action utterly surprised her. He took pride in knowing he was the only one who could make the Mother Confessor speechless.

Kahlan's eyes redirected to the center of the floor. A large blue blanket was stretched along the marble, petals of the white flowers placed variously on top. There was a small bundle of honey cakes in a little weaved basket in the center of the blanket, two glasses of wine on each side. She looked back at the floor, not wanting to crush the small white flowers underneath her boots. Richard laughed as he crossed the room towards her, taking her hand in his and guiding her to the blanket, urging her to sit down.

Her hair was piled in a messy bun and a few escaped strands framed her face, which seemed to glow. She looked back and forth between the wine and the honey cakes before reaching into the basket and obtaining one.

"My favorite." She stated, taking a small bite from the cake. Richard laughed and took a sip of his wine, unaware of where to go from here. He realized he hadn't thought this situation through as much as he would have liked. He chuckled as she fumbled the cake in her hand when the honey started dripping down her chin. Kahlan finally balanced the cake and wiped the back of her hand along her chin, removing the honey. She scrunched her nose before she took another bite, positioning one of her hands below the cake to make sure none of the honey dribbled onto her dress. Richard couldn't stop smiling at her. He had never seen her fumble with anything, and now it seemed she was waging war on a simple honey cake.

"How were your meetings?" Richard took another sip of his wine, realizing he needed to put it down before it became a habit to drink whenever he wasn't sure what to say. His objective was not to get drunk.

Kahlan raised an eyebrow at him as she brought the honey cake away from her mouth. "Are you truly interested in that, Cypher?" Her lips curled up into a devious smile.

Richard laughed and reached for a honey cake, shaking his head at her. "I'm truly interested in what you do, yes." He took a bite and they both seemed to size each other up with their gazes.

"I'm truly interested in what all this is about." She lowered her head at him, looking through her lashes as her free hand gestured around the room.

"Oh, Amnell. Stop questioning everything." He took another bite of the honey cake, a satisfied look spreading across his face. She pouted and set her honey cake on the blanket, reaching for the glass of wine and letting the liquid meet her lips.

"This is all about me not believing in love, is it not?" She breathed out, setting her glass back on the blanket as she started picking pieces off the remaining honey cake, popping them into her mouth and licking her fingers clean of the sticky residue.

"Maybe." He drew out, realizing this conversation was going to happen. This time, he was fully prepared for it to occur. She pursed her lips as she ran her finger around the top of her glass of wine.

"I suppose you have some grand plan to make me reconsider my stance?"

"Possibly."

"I suggest you enact it quickly, while I'm still in a slight state of shock." She met his eyes, her blues dancing with mischief, her tone seductive. Her exposed flesh was glistening in the candlelight, the night air heavy and hot. Richard licked his lips as he breathed in, trying to control his temptation. He reached into his vest, pulling out the bracelet he bought earlier. Kahlan had a puzzled look on her face. He moved over to her, sitting at her hip. He lifted her small hand in his, sliding the bracelet onto her right wrist.

"Elegance to match your own."

"What's this, Richard?" She held her wrist in front of her face, observing the small piece of jewelry and turning her limb in different directions. He laced his fingers in hers, causing her to stop moving and look up into his eyes.

"This, Kahlan, is a token of my devotion to you. I know you don't wear jewelry often, in fact, I'm relatively sure you don't wear it all. However, I also know that you hold your mother's jewels in high regard, and I've noticed how you prefer blue to any other color. I figured you should have a piece of jewelry that is your own, that our daughters can hold in high regard when you pass." Richard saw moisture come to her eyes, her mouth twitching into a smile. She laughed as a tear fell down her cheek, and she moved her free hand to try and wipe it away. Instead, Richard kissed where the tear had fallen, gathering the moisture with his lips before pulling away from her. Kahlan clenched her eyes shut as she gently shook her head.

"You're making it incredibly difficult for me to keep my belief structure." Her voice was shaky, her eyes continuing to well up with tears. She tried to pull her hand away from Richard, but he wouldn't let go.

"Love isn't something to fear, Kahlan. One day, I'll be able to make you see that." His voice was soft and gentle, and he tried to let her know he wasn't trying to push her into a corner.

She shook her head at him and opened her mouth to offer another refute, but Richard didn't allow her to get that far. He quickly leaned in and captured her lips with his, never letting go of her hand.


	39. Tender

It didn't take long for the kiss between them to become more heated, Kahlan abandoning her prior feelings and focusing on the task at hand - Richard.

He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers, gazing into her eyes, which were now clouded with desire. He let go of her hand, wrapping his left arm around her waist and pressing her closer to him as his right hand worked to undo the laces of her Confessor's dress. They never broke eye contact.

When the laces were loosened enough, he gently slid the dress off her shoulders, letting it fall and bunch around her waist. His left arm still around her, he pressed his lips to her neck, sucking and nibbling and causing Kahlan to squirm and giggle. She grabbed at his shirt, insistently tugging it upwards and forcing Richard to remove himself from her neck and his arm from her waist as she pulled it over his head, tossing it to the ground beside them. Instead of returning back to his place on her flesh, he cupped her cheek in his hand, the pad of his thumb stroking her skin. Her hand met his wrist, holding it there, the candlelight glistening off the bracelet.

Richard removed his hand and stood, holding a hand out to Kahlan. As she took his hand, she wiggled out of her dress, allowing it to fall to the ground in a wrinkled mess. When she was fully upright, Richard pulled her arm and she fell against him, his mouth quickly capturing hers. She moaned and he leaned down slightly to wrap his arms under her backside, lifting her and carrying her to the bed. He set her down at the foot of the bed, kneeling before her and breaking the kiss. He trailed hot, wet kisses along her chest, nipping at the tender flesh right above her corset. Kahlan's right hand was buried into his hair, the bracelet slightly scratching at his ear. He smiled against her skin. He worked his kisses back up her neck, finally reclaiming her mouth with his. Kahlan started tugging at his pendent, urging him closer and trying to make the kiss even deeper. Richard moved his hands around her back, undoing her corset and felt the final tie loosen, allowing it to sag against her skin. She breathed into his mouth as she let it fall off of her and onto the floor.

He moved his mouth down to his destination, her breasts heaving from her hard breathing. Richard knew that she wanted him, but he was going to draw it out, give her the most pleasure she could possibly have. He only hoped he had enough self control.

He took a peak in his mouth, flicking it with his tongue as his hand bunched up her skirt. When he made contact with her skin, he moved his hand up her thigh, sliding his fingers under her shorts, resting them on her sex. She moaned as she moved her hips forward, trying to have his fingers closer. He began rubbing along her folds, causing her breath to hitch and her hips to start rocking towards him. Richard lightly bit her breast before removing his mouth, trailing hot kisses along her chest until his mouth met the opposite peak. While is right hand worked along her folds, his left arm wrapped around her back, pulling her closer and allowing him more access in both areas.

Kahlan started squirming in his arms, murmuring pleas between her heavy breaths. Richard chuckled as he moved his fingers lowering, feeling the heat radiate off of her center. He teasingly pushed inside her with his index finger, lightly nipping along her skin. She groaned and bucked her hips towards him, whimpering when he pulled out and removed his hands from her sex. He caught her mouth with his as his hands pulled on her skirt, Kahlan lifting herself off of the bed for him to remove it fully. Her hands glided along his sides, grabbing his hips and pulling him closer. He shook his head when he broke the kiss, his nose rubbing against hers as he moved lower, wrapping two fingers under her shorts and pulling them down her legs. He looked into her eyes as he nudged her knees apart. Richard placed hot and hurried kisses along her thigh until he met her exposed sex.

Kahlan had started shifting, eager for the contact. He had always been soft and tender with her, but he had never gone through this much extent to please her. Generally, she was too impatient to allow him to explore her, often urging him inside before he had the time to appreciate her body. Richard thanked the spirits she was allowing him to do what he wished, what he knew would bring her the most pleasure. He knew she was emotionally spent, not used to crying or being doted over in such a manner, and he was more than pleased that she was letting him take care of her.

She started squirming and Richard was quickly out of his thoughts, seizing her with his mouth. Kahlan gasped at the contact, instinctively reaching her hand down to grab his hair. He licked up her juices, his stubble lightly scratching at her skin. He quickly found her nub, wrapping his lips around it and lightly sucking, lightly biting. Kahlan gasped once again as she gripped his hair harder, urging him to continue. He let go over the over-sensitized organ, moving to dip his tongue inside of her, tasting her essence. She wiggled underneath him, wanting more contact than he was giving. Richard worked his tongue inside of her for a few moments before returning to her folds.

Kahlan's breathing was coming quicker and Richard knew she was close to her climax - the first of many that were to happen before the night was over. His mouth returned to her nub, his finger sliding into her and causing her to whimper. He began a rhythm, pumping in and out of her while lightly teasing her nub. Richard soon slid in another finger, causing Kahlan to tumble right over the edge. Her grip on his hair was unbelievably tight as she gasped, his name falling from her lips repeatedly. He felt the thunder roll through him, and continued to slide into her until she was fully off of her climax and he felt her sag forward.

Her breaths where hot and heavy, and Richard stood, quickly claiming her mouth in his. The kisses were lazy and sloppy, but soon Kahlan regained her composure and was moving her hands to the laces on his pants, untying them with speed and slipping her hands around his hips to help guide the fabric down. Richard stepped to the side to fling the cloth out of the way.

Kahlan reached down and moved her fingertips along his manhood, causing Richard to moan into the kiss, bucking his hips in her direction. She giggled as her fingers made their way to his head, her thumb wiping off the pre-cum that had surfaced there. Kahlan had never done anything of the sort before, always concerned with her own pleasure over his. He never minded it. Richard always wanted her pleasure to come first. He deepened the kiss as her hand closed around his shaft, moving along his length. Richard tried to keep from losing himself in her touch, but her soft hand was enough to make him lose all sense of self control. He removed her hand and held it in his, his forehead pressing against hers, their breath hot against each others skin.

"This is all about you." He breathed out before gathering her lips in his, gently pushing her back onto the bed. She scooted herself up until her head met the pillows, enclosing the lilies in her hands as she settled herself against the bedding. She smiled as she looked at them, Richard climbing over her. He kissed her forehead as he plucked a flower from the bouquet, gently dragging it along her nose. She giggled and squirmed, the light touch of the petals tickling her.

He began dragging the flower down the length of her, teasing her breasts and stomach before she grabbed his pendent and brought him down into a kiss. He tossed the flower aside, his hand moving to rest on her thigh. She began rocking her hips towards him, coating his manhood and causing him to involuntarily jerk. Kahlan murmured her pleas through their kiss, begging him to wait no longer.

Richard lifted her thigh slightly as he glided into her, hearing her exhale and feeling her hot breath on his lips. He kissed along her neck until he was sure she had adjusted to him, and when she started wriggling underneath him, urging him to move, he began to slowly thrust into her heat. Soft moans came from her lips as he created a slow and steady pace, not wanting to push her over the edge too soon. Richard was surprised at the control he had over himself, that he could suppress the feeling to plunge into her for his own release. He started to move a little faster, causing her moans to become louder and more frequent. She lifted her legs and wrapped them around his body, aiding him in the pace. The new position allowed him greater access, his length coming into contact with her cervix.

He felt her body writhe underneath him as his thrusted in deeper and faster, his lips claiming her neck, alternating between biting and sucking. He felt her release, the contraction of her sex milking him into his own. Her chest was heaving and Richard continued his motions until she was fully off her climax. He placed a light kiss on her neck before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. Richard felt himself soften inside of her, and he wanted more than anything to stay in that position for the rest of his life. His body, however, didn't agree.

Richard rolled off of her before his body collapsed, breathing heavily as she curled up against him. Her right hand went to fumble with his pendent, the cool contact of her bracelet in stark contrast with the heat of their bodies. Richard smiled as he wrapped an arm around her, bringing her closer and letting her use his chest as a pillow. He placed a light kiss on top of her hair, taking in her scent.

That was the first time they made love where she didn't move to dominate him.


	40. Deals

Although Richard had his mind set on pleasing her again that night, he felt Kahlan drift off into sleep shortly after her head made contact with his chest. After she succumbed, he did shortly after, allowing his lids to slide closed.

Richard blinked his eyes a few times, adjusting to the light that was now bathing the room. He swept his gaze over the area, taking note of the mess that the room now was. He sighed as he rolled his head to the side. Kahlan's back was bare. She was gripping the covers over her breasts with one hand while her left leg wrapped itself on top of the bedding, also leaving it exposed.

Richard smiled as he turned to his side, sliding closer to her. He traced the pads of his fingers along her skin, causing her to stir. She mumbled some inaudible sound, causing Richard to chuckle as he leaned in and swept her hair away from her neck, placing a light kiss along the flesh. She shifted and turned to him, her eyes fluttering open.

"Morning." She drew out, mumbling as she shifted to make herself comfortable. She had to adjust her exposed leg, drawing it back under the covers. He smiled down at her and placed a kiss on the tip of her nose.

"Morning." He responded, his hand moving to rest on her cheek while he was propped up by his other arm.

The sunlight reflected off of the blue stones of her bracelet, causing them to sparkle. Richard smiled, hoping that she would continue to appreciate the gift as much as she had last night. He moved the pad of his thumb along her cheek.

"I'm quite surprised at you, Kahlan."

She groaned as she continued to adjust her eyes to the light. "What do you mean?"

"Last night was a huge milestone."

"It was not." She huffed, fumbling with her bracelet and scrunching her nose. He laughed as he placed a kiss on her lips. When he pulled back, he looked at her intently.

"It absolutely was."

"How so?" Her eyes gleamed at him, and Richard had the feeling she thought she had him beat. She didn't.

"Why, my dear Kahlan, you were actually concerned for my pleasure for one fleeting moment."

"Lies." She scoffed, batting him in the shoulder. He saw her cheeks redden. "It's not like you wanted it anyway." She added, her tone bitter and sarcastic, her cheeks still reddening. Richard clenched his eyes shut, gathering that when he pulled her hand away, it must have told her that she was doing something wrong. He groaned.

"Lies." She looked up at him, her face in a scowl. "I wanted it more than you would know, but as I said, last night was all about you." He poked her nose with his finger. "Another night can be about me."

"The probability of the opportunity arising again is slim to none, Cypher." She retorted, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. Richard laughed and kissed her again, this time more deeply than before.

"I believe you are forgetting something else, Amnell."

Kahlan's eyes focused on him and her brows furrowed in questioning.

"You didn't try to take control, you let me take care of you." Kahlan's eyes widened and her face adorned the deepest shade of red Richard had ever seen on her. She clenched her eyes shut and sighed, rolling onto her back and covering her face with her hands.

"That will not happen again."

"Oh, but it will."

"Oh, but it won't." She looked over at him, her lips pursing, expecting her word to be the final decision. Richard, however, was not keen on the idea. He liked taking care of her, and after having a taste of what it was like, he wasn't sure he'd accept going back to how things were. He shook his head as he tugged on her arm, urging her to roll back over on to her side and face him. She obliged.

"You were pleased, were you not?" Richard asked teasingly as Kahlan's nose scrunched and her cheeks began to turn a shade of pink.

"That is not the point. The point is you were in control."

"But it pleased you?"

"That is not the point."

"If you told me to do those things, you would be in control, would you not?" Richard's eyebrows shot up playfully and a smile crept on Kahlan's face.

"Perhaps."

"Control isn't necessarily taking me on your terms, Kahlan. You can command me to take care of you and you would still hold the same amount of control. You would tell a confessed man how to make love to you, would you not?" He saw her nose scrunch and her lips purse. "It's the same thing. If you tell me to take care of you, to do things I know please you, then you still hold all of the command."

Richard was more than happy when he saw her sigh and nod, knowing that he was now going to be able to do with her as he wished. He was more pleased when she tugged at his pendent and brought him in for a deep kiss. He wrapped an arm around her back and rolled on top of her, his pendent waving above her chest as her hands rested on the sides of his neck.

"I was thinking," she began, uncertainty crossing her features, "maybe I can reconsider my whole disbelief of love." Richard started smiling and Kahlan shook her head vigorously. "I'm not saying it will work, but maybe I should keep my mind a little more open to the concept."

"That's all I ask for, Kahlan." He leaned down and placed a light kiss on her lips as her hands roamed his torso. She sighed into his mouth and he pulled away, resting a hand on the flesh between her shoulder and neck, lightly tracing patterns along her skin. "And what do you wish, Mother Confessor?"

She smiled up at him, "Do what pleases me most." He returned the smile, leaning down capturing her mouth with his, her limbs embracing him.


	41. Unexpected

Richard rubbed his eyes and tried to focus his thoughts. It had taken him half an hour to read a page of the book Zedd had handed him concerning the fundamental basics of being a war wizard. Zedd hovered over him, the constant pacing grating on Richard's nerves. It took everything he had not to slam the book shut and throw it at the old man.

It had taken very little convincing on Kahlan's part to get Richard to embrace his magic more. When he tried to argue with her, she cut him off, saying that if she was willing to keep her mind open about love, then he should keep his mind open about his magic. He huffed as he stormed off, Kahlan laughing in the distance.

"Zedd, you are going to wear a rut into the floor if you don't stop." Richard's voice was groggy, drowsiness sinking into his features. There weren't many books about a war wizard's magic, and Zedd gave him the few there were and then explained that he would need to learn more about additive and subtractive magic separately. When Richard complained, Zedd scolded him, stating that if he wasn't so ignorant to magic then examples would work better to teach him.

The few times Zedd had tried to teach by example, Richard just kept asking questions, claiming all that he was doing was a contradiction of some sort. Although his grandfather had tried numerous times to explain it to him, it was to no avail. The only magic Richard had now understood thoroughly was Confessor's magic, and it didn't even apply to him. Zedd's final resort was books, hoping that Richard would grasp the basics and then Zedd could teach him how to use his magic through experience instead of words.

Richard, however, was easily distracted from the task. The only time he ever really paid attention to the words in the books were when Kahlan would come down and sit next to him, threatening that if he didn't finish a certain number of pages then she would lock him out of their room. Richard then read the pages with ease, fully comprehending what he had read.

Kahlan didn't have very much time to scold him and push him further in his studies. Richard was surprised at how many meetings the Mother Confessor actually had to attend, how the counselors advised her. Richard didn't understand why Kahlan had counselors - she didn't listen to them. She did what she thought was necessary and no one questioned her. Richard was disgusted with the fact that the men who were supposed to guide her would cower away when she chose an opposing path. He suggested she be rid of them, but she laughed and said they were there for traditional purposes, nothing more.

Zedd hadn't stopped pacing and the rhythm from the old man's boots was playing steadily in Richard's head. He closed the book and stood, turning to face his grandfather.

"Kahlan and I need to work on making great grand children for you." Richard found that this argument worked best to divert the old man's attentions away from the books. Zedd would often step aside and let Richard go on his way, making no remark but grinning from cheek to cheek.

"My boy! With all the 'working' you've been doing, I'm surprised a wee one hasn't started growing in her belly!" Zedd was booming with a deep and hearty laugh. Richard smiled and chuckled, slightly shaking his head.

"Goodnight, Zedd." The old man moved his hands to shoo him away, shouting good luck wishes behind him. Come to think of it, Richard was quite surprised she wasn't with child yet either. It had been a week since Kahlan decided to take Richard's words seriously, and every night since then she allowed him to do what he knew would please her most. Not to mention all the previous times they had made love since the loss of their first child. Richard started to worry that maybe the subtractive magic affected her fertility, causing her to become sterile. The thought crushed him.

Lost in his thoughts, he almost ran straight into Kahlan, whose head was buried in various papers. Richard caught himself before they collided, reaching his hands for her hips and lightly guiding her against the wall. He laughed as she lowered the papers just below her eyes, peering up at him.

"Cypher."

"Amnell."

"Richard."

"Kahlan."

"Lord Rahl."

"Mother Confessor."

"Seeker."

Richard's eyebrows furrowed as she smiled in her victory. Kahlan loved this game, mostly because she knew she would win. Richard simply had one more title than her and Kahlan viewed it as his disadvantage, not hers. Once he teased her about it, claiming that his titles offered him more power than her. She scoffed and playfully punched his arm, stating that her one title trumped his two.

"I have work to do." Kahlan waved the papers in his face.

"I see that." He plucked the papers from Kahlan's hand, causing her face to distort and her to huff at him and cross her arms. She scrunched her nose and pouted at him. He smiled down at her.

Richard heard a maidservant walk down the hallway and glanced in her direction long enough for Kahlan to snatch the documents from Richard's hand and run down the hallway, gathering her Confessor's dress in her other hand as she made the corner and disappeared. Richard laughed as he chased after her, following her into the room with her chair.

Richard almost slammed straight into her back and had to slam his heel into the ground to keep from knocking her over. He regained his composure and was about to ask her what had happened when his eyes surveyed the room. Kahlan had dropped her papers to the floor, her body stiff.

He lifted his gaze and saw a wall of red.

Sisters of the Dark.


	42. Ambushed

The mass of red came flying at Richard and Kahlan, Kahlan more quick to respond, her daggers already in hand. Richard drew his sword, trying to fight the onslaught of women throwing themselves at the two.

Richard wasn't sure what was happening. He figured the women were there to capture him and drain him of his han, but they were fighting with deadly precision. They held no qualms about killing him, but Zedd explained that if you are to capture one's han, you have to slowly bleed them dry of it. These women were not being shy in their advances, certainly not patient enough to bleed him.

Kahlan was quick as she moved through the crowd, her white dress covered in blood splatter, none her own. She was deadly and graceful, not giving the Sisters an opportunity to fight back. He watched as Kahlan sliced the throats of three women while he was still trying to fend off one.

Then he realized it.

The Sisters were going after Kahlan, only fighting with Richard to prevent him from getting close to her. He started panicking, quickly slicing through the woman as they came in torrents. There were more than the original attack, the sheer amount enough to fill the entire room.

Richard started tripping over dead bodies while other wounded women reached out to grab for his legs, attempting to drag him down. Kahlan hadn't waited to see if they died, she only cut with deadly speed and let them fall to the ground, bleeding their essence onto the white marble. Richard searched frantically for a glimpse of Kahlan, but she blended in with the Sisters now, her dress almost completely covered in their blood.

He heard the distinct yells of Cara from behind the doors and the rumble of troops trying to break down the wooden barrier. Richard also heard his grandfather's yells and the sound of wizard's fire blasting against the door. The Sisters must have barricaded the room, allowing no one else to enter.

Richard lost his footing for a second, his boot caught under a dead Sister's arm. A wounded Sister near by grabbed his ankle and yanked him to the ground, trying to crawl over him with her dacra. Richard quickly pushed her off, causing her to impale her own chest with her weapon. He scrambled to his feet as his eyes scanned the room, attempting to find Kahlan. Since Richard wasn't posing a threat, the Sisters all redirected their attentions to Kahlan.

When he finally caught sight of her, he realized how in peril she was. She continued to fight off the women, but Richard had noticed she had accumulated wounds on the way. There was a slight cut on her chest, nothing a day or two of healing couldn't fix. What really drew his eye was her hand, now covered in blood. When she turned and threw her dagger into the nearest woman, Richard noticed that the inside of her forearm was badly cut, the wound jagged. Blood kept pouring out, coating her skin and making it difficult for her to grip her dagger effectively, and Richard was sure the loss of blood would cause her to collapse soon enough.

Richard's heart started hammering as he waded through the bodies littered on the floor in an attempt to get to her. He cut down the nearest targets, but his strength was steadily declining. His eyesight became blurry and he started tumbling over the dead bodies even more, not knowing why drowsiness was now overtaking him.

He had to get to Kahlan.

Richard felt a hand grab the back of his vest, yanking him forward and letting him fall to the ground, his head making contact with the marble. He cursed himself for landing on the one clear spot of the floor. His head throbbed and he attempted to move up, only to have a dacra held across his throat. The Sister holding it had a dangerous look in her eyes - she was not afraid to slice his flesh open. Richard looked up at her for what seemed an eternity. The last time a knife was held to his throat, it was by Kahlan, who was straddling him at the time. This experience was entirely different and not at all pleasant.

He tried to move back but his shoulders made contact with another body. He looked up to see another woman looming over him, shaking her head and mocking him. Richard clenched his eyes shut to try and think of a solution. In a mere matter of moments Kahlan could be dead. He needed to regain his strength and kill these two women in order to save Kahlan. He opened his eyes only to see more women gathered around him, forming a circle around his body. He lost sight of Kahlan. His heart started racing as he frantically tried to maneuver around the Sister's legs to see a glimpse of her dark hair, her bright eyes. One of the Sisters kicked him in the shin and Richard had to stifle a jump, knowing that if he did the blade would bite into his skin.

"Do not worry about your precious Mother Confessor, she will be with the Keeper soon enough." Richard's eyes started to well with tears when he grasped the reality of the situation. He started shaking his head, attempting to move away from the blade, which was now causing blood to trickle from his neck. He heard a woman laugh and cringed, resenting the fact that these women were going to be the death of Kahlan.

He found it harder to breathe when the women started closing the circle around him, leaving him with no room to move. He heard the clashing of steel and his heart fluttered at the fact Kahlan was still alive, the distinct sound of her daggers enough to ease his mind slightly. The woman who had been holding the knife to his throat stood up, tucking the weapon in a belt that was wrapped around her dress. He heard a soft chant begin and pressure was applied to his throat. He felt blood start to leak out of his flesh at a faster rate and his head began to pound. The chant became louder.

The women froze when they heard a ferocious yell. Richard wasn't sure what was happening, but the chanting had stopped and the pressure added to his throat was gone. He wiped his hand across his neck, removing his limb to see how much blood had escaped. He was shocked to find that very little blood resided on his hand.

The next thing Richard saw terrified him. The women wouldn't move, all their heads turned to the direction he thought Kahlan to be. The clang of weapons was gone and Richard's heart sank. The Sister's eyes grew wide with shock and Richard tried to peer between them, but the circle around him was too tight to see exactly what they were looking at. The woman standing directly in front of him didn't bother to turn around to see the commotion, seemingly uninterested.

Blood splattered on his face when a familiar dagger pierced through the woman's chest. The Sisters had yet to move, still in shock. Richard saw fear dancing in their eyes. When the woman fell to her knees, toppling over to the ground in front of him, Richard looked up.

Kahlan's blue orbs were red.


	43. Seeing Red

Richard swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked up at her. Kahlan had another cut along her cheek, the red matching the color in her eyes. The look on her face was terrifying. Her eyes seemed to have a life of their own. She ran her gaze across all the Sisters.

The women, now realizing the threat, clumsily grasped their weapons in unsteady hands, attempting to strike Kahlan down. The woman nearest Kahlan was the first to blindly slash her blade. Kahlan took a step back as the woman ripped open the flesh of the Sister on the other side of her, the woman gasping at what she had done but quickly letting her comrade fall to the ground as she tried to make another attempt to kill Kahlan.

Kahlan cocked her head to the side before flicking her wrist and slicing the woman's throat open. Another Sister left the circle, charging towards Kahlan. She swiftly turned and grabbed the woman's head in her hands, a loud crack resounding through the room before Kahlan dropped her limbs and let the body fall to join the rest.

The Sisters now realized they needed to become more organized, that going after Kahlan one by one was only a death wish. Richard wasn't sure what was happening, only that Kahlan had a very primal demeanor. The graceful dance that she used to fight was gone, leaving only brutal force. Richard could hear the clamor behind the doors clearer than before, the overwhelming sound of steel on steel having died. He heard panic among Cara and Zedd's voices, both trying to yell their way through the door, begging for a response. Richard figured Kahlan's yell had triggered their increase in concern.

Blood was trickling down Kahlan's hand and onto the marble. Richard took note of how much paler she looked. He wasn't sure what was happening to her, but he knew the wound needed to be healed or she would soon bleed to death. She looked unconcerned, unaware of her physical state.

She was glaring at the Sisters, not once casting a downward glance towards Richard. Kahlan was awaiting their next move. The women seemed to have more confidence in their countenance now, gripping their dacras so tightly that their knuckles became white. Richard wasn't concerned with Kahlan being able to fend them off - she had killed dozens of Sisters moments before. It was the blood loss that concerned him.

Kahlan's dress was drenched in blood. He was sure the extra weight would hinder her fighting, especially since she was no longer fighting with the technique she usually did. Soon enough, Richard realized she didn't need to lift more than a hand.

The women charged at her and Richard's pulse raced. He moved to stand on his feet, now free to do so without the women knocking him down, but before he could regain his balance he saw it.

Kahlan lifted her hand and her eyes went dark. Richard felt the familiar feel of her magic. Kahlan dropped her hand as she lifted her head, looking down at the women and sneering.

"Drop your weapons."

Richard watched as the knives fell to the floor in unison. She had just confessed multiple people without even touching them. Richard looked around frantically, realizing now that there was no longer a threat. The banging on the doors had stopped, Kahlan's voice loud enough to ensure that the two were still alive, easing their companions nerves.

All the Sisters were staring intently at Kahlan, eager to do her bidding. She turned around, moving to walk towards her chair.

"Kill each other." Richard had to slam himself against the wall to keep from being thrown into the brawl. The women were punching and kicking, attempting to crush each others skulls. None of them reached to the ground for a weapon to aid them. Richard found an opening and hurried through, walking up to Kahlan, who was now standing directly in front of the Confessor's chair, her back turned to him. Richard didn't know what to say to her, not wanting her wrath to be placed on him.

His steps were slow as he approached her. Richard grimaced as he saw the blood continuing to flow down her hand, a steady dripping sound coming from the fall of blood on marble. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and whispered her name. Kahlan instantly turned around, wrapping her bloodied hand around his throat, causing her wound to exude more of the liquid. Richard caught his breath as he stumbled backwards, his feet tripping over deceased bodies. He wanted to grab her arm but was afraid to upset the wound. Instead, he didn't fight back, adjusting to her tight grip on his neck. She couldn't confess him and her daggers were out of reach, strewn on the ground.

"Kahlan, it's me." Those were the only words he managed to choke out, her grip on his neck tightening. Her glare was terrifying him and all he wanted to do was see her eyes return to their brilliant shade of blue. When he realized she wasn't going to let go, he reached down and pulled his shirt out of his pants, ripping off a large portion of the fabric. Her eyes never wavered from his.

Richard slowly wrapped the cloth around Kahlan's arm, tying it tightly in hopes to stop the bleeding. He rested his hand around her wrist, squeezing lightly. Her grip loosened.

"Kahlan, it's me." He repeated, her primal nature faltering. "Kahlan, it's me. Richard. The man that loves you. The one you love to push around. Remember?" He laughed softly, trying hard not to upset her. Kahlan's temper while she was herself was a tricky one to predict, predicting it now was nearly impossible. He noticed how she swayed on her feet and her grip on him went more slack. He took a step forward and rested his hands on her hips, trying to steady her. "Kahlan, I love you." She blinked a few times as her hand dropped from his neck, the red vanishing from her eyes. She fell against him and he wrapped his arms around her, lowering her to the ground.

Richard watched as the Sisters killed each other, leaving only one contender standing. He rocked Kahlan back and forth as she regained her composure. The Sister stood still among the mass of red on the floor, waiting eagerly for Kahlan's next command. Kahlan glanced her way and mustered up her strength.

"Die."

Richard wasn't shocked when he saw the woman fall to the ground after the world spilled from Kahlan's lips. Richard continued to rock her, noticing how the tourniquet on her arm was soaked through with blood already.

Now that the Sisters were dead, the barricade on the room fell away, allowing Zedd and Cara to madly rush in. Zedd ran over to the two, sidestepping bodies. He leaned next to Richard, resting a hand on Kahlan's forehead.

"Her eyes were red." Richard's voice was soft.

Zedd nodded, not surprised. Cara casually walked through the carnage, kicking bodies over to inspect the dead. She nodded her satisfaction, strolling up to Richard.

"The majority of this was the Mother Confessor's work. Her method of killing varies from yours." Cara shrugged as she looked over her shoulder, observing the death once again.

Zedd moved to Kahlan's arm, the cloth soaked entirely with blood. She was mumbling something, but Richard couldn't understand what she said. He continued to rock her slowly as Zedd shook his head.

"Heal her."

"At once, my boy."


	44. Blood

Richard was relieved when Zedd healed the wound with no problem and at a relatively quick speed. He felt as if he could see the color returning to her features. Kahlan had passed out in his arms moments before Zedd started healing, and was now sleeping soundly against Richard's chest. Zedd swiped a hand over her cheek and chest, quickly healing those minor wounds as well. The old man suggested that Richard take Kahlan up to her room and let her sleep, but once Richard moved to pick her up, she stirred and her eyes flung open.

"Nice work, Mother Confessor." Cara had a smug look on her face. "You kill with precision, you don't toy with your victims." The blonde smirked as Kahlan sighed. "One day I'll show you how much fun it is to play with your prey." Kahlan started laughing and Cara shifted her weight, rolling her agiel between her fingers. Richard chuckled and Zedd shook his head.

"Thank you, Cara." Although most wouldn't view such a thing as a compliment, Kahlan was quick to realize the flattery that Cara was bestowing upon her. Kahlan shook her head and brought her hand to her forehead, quickly noticing how the wound was healed. Her eyes grew wide and she flung her arm in front of her face.

"Where's my bracelet?" She asked frantically, as if the movement her arm was causing would beckon the jewelry back to her. Richard laughed and Kahlan scolded him. He pulled it out of his vest and slid it back on her wrist. Red specks were all over the jewels. Kahlan frowned.

"After you came out of your .." Richard wasn't sure what to call it, and he didn't want to say something to insult her. "After you returned to your normal self, I slid it off your wrist. The silver was scratching against your wound and aggravating it." Kahlan nodded as she held her wrist in front of her face, observing the bracelet.

"Con Dar." She simply stated, letting her arm fall as she looked around the room.

"What?" Richard felt he should know what she meant, but he hadn't the faintest idea.

"What I came out of. Con Dar." She looked up at him, her blue eyes sparkling. "It's a ancient magic." When Richard slightly nodded she scrunched her nose, crossing her arms but making no attempt to leave his lap.

"My dear! You make it sound so simple." Zedd boomed, laughing. Cara rolled her eyes and began stalking around the room, barking orders at the guards who were directed to stand back. A few men came in and started dragging bodies out.

"Is it not that simple?" Kahlan questioned, her brows furrowing.

"You have grown up knowing of this, Richard has not." The old man redirected his gaze at Richard. "And you thought you knew all there was to know about Confessors." Zedd huffed as he chuckled, offering a hand to help Kahlan stand. She eyed the wizard warily before accepting his help.

She groaned and Richard jumped to his feet, asking her if anything was wrong. She shook her head and gestured to her dress. "Stiff with blood." Richard nodded and smiled sadly at her.

"Con Dar, my boy, is an ancient magic held by the most powerful Confessors. When rage over comes them, the power is tapped, and they become a force to be reckoned with. A touch is not needed to take someone with her power, and her balanced personality is quickly switched to one of a violent nature. It is also known as the blood rage." By this time, Cara had instructed more men to rid the room of the Sisters. The area was almost clear of them, but the marble was slicked with their blood. "Generally, a certain event will trigger her blood rage, a fear or anger focused on one occurrence."

Kahlan looked uninterested in the conversation, shifting uncomfortably in her dress. Even though it was blood, Richard thought she looked stunning in red.

"My dear, what do you remember before you went into the Con Dar?" Zedd was flicking his hand, using magic to clear the floor of blood. Kahlan clenched her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers.

"Richard was being cornered by the Sisters." Zedd nodded as he continued cleaning, repairing broken furniture.

"So Richard is your trigger, then?"

Kahlan stared at him dumbly, her mouth slightly parted. She shook her head and clenched her eyes. "I don't know, I suppose."

"When Richard was in danger, you became angry and upset, thus, releasing the blood rage."

"That sounds like a statement, not a question." Zedd turned and smiled at her. "Is this amusing to you, Wizard?" She snapped, causing Cara to snort from the other side of the room.

"My heart is warmed by your feelings for my grandson." Kahlan's eyes narrowed as she scoffed, crossing her arms while her face heated. Richard laughed and walked over to her, placing a light kiss on the top of her head.

"Shh, Zedd. She doesn't like to admit to having emotions." Kahlan's jaw dropped as she hit him in the shoulder with the back of her hand. Zedd laughed and Cara appraised Kahlan for her unemotional stance.

Zedd waved his hand in Kahlan's direction. "I will mention it no more." His robes made a rustling sound against the marble as Richard wrapped his arm around Kahlan's waist, not caring that her clothing was drenched in blood.

"I do not believe the Sisters still pose a threat." Cara walked up and pursed her lips, Kahlan raising an eyebrow at the old wizard. "You have annihilated them all, my dear. If there are any more, they will know that another attack would be suicide." Kahlan tried to blow a strand of bloody hair out of her face and pouted, the hair too stiff to move.

"I need a bath."

"I think I quite like the look of the Mother Confessor covered in the blood of her enemies." The blonde was smirking, her arms crossed below her breasts. Kahlan mimicked her silently before walking out of the room, Richard following shortly behind.


	45. Second Chances

Kahlan's nose scrunched up when the plate of food was placed in front of her. Zedd had insisted they have a large dinner since the attack, explaining that food will help regain their energy. Kahlan and Cara scoffed at the old man and Richard laughed.

It had taken an hour to remove all of the blood from Kahlan's skin and hair, most of it dried and stiff. She seemed to be glowing, her hair in a tousled mess behind her head. She was wearing the green travelers outfit, not wanting to change into another Confessor's dress. Kahlan wasn't pleased when the sleeve covered her bracelet and she slid the jewelry off, placing it over the fabric so it was still visible.

Richard had remarked that the amount of food at the table could feed the entire D'Haran army and that there was no way the four of them would be able to consume it all. Zedd laughed and guaranteed that none of the food would go to waste. Kahlan and Cara stared at the old man. They sat at a small table, Kahlan and Richard sitting opposite of each other with Cara and Zedd doing the same at the other sides of the wooden platform. Kahlan instinctively reached for the fruit, piling it onto her plate and moving the meat over slightly. Richard had noticed that Kahlan adored fruit, it being her snack of choice. He smiled as he watched her nibble on an apple.

It took a considerable amount of convincing to get Kahlan to take a bite of the red fruit, with quite an amount of cursing from her for making her eat poison. Richard had laughed and shook his head, stating that Hartland's apples were perfectly fine, and delicious. Since he became Lord Rahl, he paid a hefty price to have his homeland's apples delivered to the People's Palace in barrels. Now that he was in Aydindril, he redirected the route, ordering the apples to be handed directly to Kahlan. She spited him for it, but the red apples quickly became her most favorite snack.

Cara and Zedd started bickering at each other quickly, Cara criticizing Zedd's eating habits and Zedd spouting out explanations for his excessive eating. The whole conversation had Richard's side in stitches while Kahlan laughed on the other side of the table. Richard blinked away his tears as their argument subsided, Zedd exclaiming that maybe he does eat too much and giving Cara the victory. When the moisture left his eyes, Richard focused them on Kahlan.

She was leaning on her right arm, the bracelet he had given her sparkling from the candlelight. She was holding a slice of apple in her hand, dragging it around her plate and moving the other fruits and meats. Her chest rose slightly with each breath she took. The sight of her still enchanted Richard.

Richard's was removed from his thoughts by a heavy hand slamming on his back. Zedd had moved his chair closer, staring intently at his grandson. Richard moved his head away and made a face. "This is your cue."

Richard stared at him dumbly before looking to Kahlan and Cara. Kahlan wasn't paying attention and Cara shrugged, unaware of what his grandfather was getting at.

"Cue for what?" Richard asked hesitantly.

"To tell me that you must leave because you and Kahlan need to work on making great grand children for me." The old man was smiling and Cara scoffed, popping a piece of dried meat into her mouth. Richard blinked at his grandfather, suddenly very embarrassed. He felt his cheeks flush and then he heard Kahlan laugh.

The three turned to face her. The hand she was propped up on moved to her mouth, covering it as her laughter grew. Cara asked her if she had gone insane, Kahlan responding by shaking her head quickly, tendrils of hair falling out of their confinement. Her laughter died down and she took in deep breaths of air, gathering herself.

"There is no need to work for that any longer." She simply stated, pressing an apple slice to her lips. Cara's eyebrows wrinkled together.

"Do you no longer wish to bed Lord Rahl?" Kahlan started laughing again, almost choking on the fruit. Cara's facial had not changed, and now Richard was chuckling.

"That is not the case, Cara. He is quite the attentive lover." She managed to choke out between her laughter, causing Richard to laugh heartily and Zedd and Cara to sit there dumbfounded. A smile spread across Cara's lips as understanding sunk into her, Richard still left in the dark. Kahlan looked up through her lashes, her eyes watery from laughing so hard.

"I'm with child." Richard felt as though he could leap across the table and gather her in his arms, but instead his jaw dropped, a boyish grin playing on his features.

"You're with child?"

"I'm with child."

"And you're sure?"

"As sure as I am the Mother Confessor."

Richard pushed his chair out from under him and took clumsy steps towards her, leaning down to gather her lips in his, never allowing her to leave her seat. He cupped her cheeks with his hands, smiling so much that it hurt.

"We're having a baby." He mumbled, his excitement causing his thoughts to blur together into one in-cohesive cloud. She nodded as she mouthed 'yes.' She smiled a brilliant smile and and squirmed a bit, her eyes becoming glassy as she looked into his.

"We are going to have a child, Richard Cypher." He nodded vigorously as she placed a light kiss on his lips. "Just as I told you we would."

Richard didn't even care that Cara was sneering in the background and Zedd was babbling on about the pitter-pattering of feet along the floors of the Confessor's Palace. All that mattered was that he now had a second chance to have a family with the woman he loved and adored.


	46. Denounce

Richard had been overjoyed with the news of Kahlan's pregnancy, never leaving her side to the point where she had to tell him that he was causing her to stress. He tried to make himself busy with other tasks, but his mind always came back to her, to the second chance they now had to become a family. He was not about to let anything or anyone touch her.

Although he knew it would upset Kahlan, he had arranged for a quad to skirt her every move - from a distance. He didn't want her to be put in harm's way, and despite how much she would argue with him, he wasn't going to waver his stance. These men would willingly die to protect her as, and they wouldn't strike against her if she were to kill them. Richard had a ready supply of men that were available for the task.

The men were strong and sturdy, the best of their individual units. They were all eager to serve the Lord Rahl, and even more honored that he would trust them to protect the mother of his child. Richard didn't like putting young men's lives on the line, but Kahlan was his priority. If she happened to kill a few of the men, he would just replace them.

Richard took the time to learn as much about each of the quad members as he could. Mark was a man with much the same build as Richard. His commander had told Richard that Mark was as kind and loyal as he would be able to find. Julian was taller than Richard and had a more muscular build, a beard growing on his chin. The commander confided that Julian was the only man who would not take a turn with the prostitutes, stating that he was loyal to his wife and wouldn't betray her in such a way. Timothy was shorter than Richard, but lean. His commander stated that Timothy was the first to put himself in front of a blade to save a comrade. Kenneth was the smallest of the group, both in size and muscle. Kenneth's commander had stated he held a great respect for women and loved children, always becoming disgusted when a woman or child was killed - especially when a woman with child was killed.

The four all had blonde hair and blue eyes, the D'Haran bloodline obviously present.

Even after Richard had warned him of their possible fate at the Mother Confessor's hands, the four were still very eager to protect her. Richard thanked them all and told them where Kahlan would be, watching as the four men bounded off to protect her.

When Kahlan came into their room later that night, Richard expected a fight. He was surprised when Kahlan was standing in front of the closed door, her eyes glassy and her face seemingly terrified.

"I almost killed them." Her voice was soft and slightly shaky.

"They are there to protect you, Kahlan." Richard approached her slowly. His heart sank when her fierce blue eyes met his, rage surfacing in them.

"I can't believe you did that."

"I just want to protect you, Kahlan. Protect our baby."

"Quads hunted me, Richard!" She yelled, her hands in fists at her sides, her face heating with anger. Richard took a step back, unaware of how to react.

He realized he may have just made a monumental mistake. When she looked into his eyes again, he knew that he had. How could he be so foolish as to have a quad follow her? How could the fact that quads once hunted Confessors escape his mind?

"Darken Rahl sent quads out to hunt me. They killed and mangled every Confessor they could find. Do you know how many quads I had to kill, Richard? I was hunted for years! And now you want to have one of them follow me? Wearing the same uniforms they did when the tracked my every move? Those same eyes? I can't-"

"Kahlan, I'm so sorry, I didn't think." Richard was near tears, Kahlan's eyes already trickling moisture out at a steady rate. She started shaking her head.

"Do not apologize to me, Lord Rahl." Richard's heart sunk. He now realized he was being compared to Darken Rahl, and the two were on the same playing field. "Those men hunted me. They killed anyone they could to try and capture me, as per Rahl's orders. Not all of the men sent were Darken's prized soldiers, some were lowly scum. There were a few occasions where I was only able to confess a man when he was on top of me, trying to force his way into my skirts." Kahlan looked to the side, wiping her hands at her face furiously. Richard sighed in defeat. He knew how much this had to be hurting her, having all the old memories resurface. His next words surprised him.

"I'm not removing the quad, Kahlan." His voice was harsher than he wanted it to be.

"I can't believe this." She was choking back sobs and Richard's heart was breaking.

"That was Darken Rahl, not me. These men are here to protect you, to make sure that you and the baby are safe."

"Richard-"

"Only when I'm not there to protect you myself."

"That doesn't matter, Richard! What matters is that these men that hunted me are following me!"

"I'm not wavering on this, Kahlan." He shook his head, attempting to approach her. She pushed her back further against the door, her face distorting as she blinked away her tears.

"I can't believe you, Richard. You claim you love me and then you don't even care about how much this is affecting me!"

Before Richard really comprehended what he was doing, he closed the distance, grabbing Kahlan's wrists and slamming them on the door behind her. She let out a tiny shriek.

"Don't question my love for you, Kahlan. I realize this hurts you, and it hurts me to hurt you. However, I will not lose another child because of some sneak attack. The quad will only be used when I'm not able to be near you, when I can't protect you myself. I love you more than life itself, and because of that, I'm willing to hurt you if it will protect you and our child." She tried to pull her wrists away but his grip was too tight. His eyes were fixated upon her, making her nervous and causing her to divert her gaze. She choked back a sob.

"I may not understand much about the concept, Richard Rahl, but I do know that you don't hurt the ones you love." Her tone was bitter, calling him by his title rather than his birth name. It made him cringe and his grip on her wrists became even tighter, causing her to yelp slightly. Her gaze changed from scared and upset to anger. "Get your hands off of me, Richard."

"What are you going to do, Kahlan? You can't confess me. You may be strong, but you can't escape from my grip. I'm the only man you can't control through your magic, and yet you still control every move I make. I'm not faltering. I will protect you, regardless if you want me to or not. There are countless men in the D'Haran army, and each one you kill or confess, I'll just replace with another." Her eyes narrowed at him as he pressed his body closer, preventing her legs from kicking. "I love you, Kahlan Amnell. You may not see that now, but it's the truth. And if you hate me for this, then so be it." He let go of her wrists and took a step back, letting her sag against the wooden door.

Kahlan rubbed her wrists, Richard already seeing the bruising forming. He grimaced at the fact he had laid his hands on her, but physical contact was one of the only things Kahlan really responded to. She glared up at him as she let her arms dangle at her sides.

"I hope it's worth it, Rahl." She turned to open the door, but Richard grabbed her arm and spun her around, slamming her back into the wooden structure.

"Do not compare me to him." He snarled.

"You are certainly acting like him." Kahlan retorted, her voice bitter.

"No, the key difference is I love you, and am doing this to protect you - not kill you." Kahlan's face became heated with rage at his words.

"Don't you dare say you love me, Richard! Not if-"

Richard slammed his lips hard on hers, relaxing his grip on her arm and wrapping it around her waist, pulling her tight against him. She fought to escape him, but eventually she succumbed, battling with tongue and teeth for dominance.

Kahlan had switched into her Confessor's dress the morning after she announced she was pregnant and Richard was thankful. He tugged on the ties forcefully, almost ripping the dress. Her nails were biting into his neck as his hands batted hers away, keeping them down long enough to strip her of the dress. He brought her back into his embrace, which was now becoming more gentle. He encircled an arm around her waist and led her to the bed.


	47. Divulge

Richard awoke that morning with a feeling of extreme guilt. The woman cradled in his arms had dark bruising around her wrists - because of him. Although he was kind and gentle with her when they made love, making sure to pleasure her all the ways he could, he still knew he was in the wrong. He should have never gripped her wrists so tightly, he could have easily made the point without such harsh contact. He sighed as he wiped his hand over his face.

"I'm sorry." Kahlan murmured into his skin, slightly stirring. Richard was surprised at the statement - she had nothing to be sorry for.

"I believe it is I who should be saying that to you." He placed a kiss on the top of her head, his eyes never leaving her bruised skin. She shook her head against his chest, her hair slightly tickling him.

"It's my fault." Richard couldn't believe the words he was hearing. This wasn't her fault, this could never be her fault. In fact, she should be leaving him this instant, storming out of the room and commanding he leave Aydindril. He deserved it.

"There is no way that this is your fault, Kahlan." He lifted her small hand in his, clenching his eyes shut. "I should have never done this to you." She shook her head again.

"I was wrong to say what I did. I was scared." Richard's body stiffened. It didn't alarm him that she was scared of him, it would alarm him if she wasn't. Still, it hurt to hear it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." She shook her head against his chest yet again, her hand gripping onto his pendent.

"I wasn't scared of you."

"Then what were you scared of?"

"Myself." Her words were barely above a whisper. "More precisely, my feelings." Her grip on his pendent became tighter and her body tensed under his touch.

"What .. what do you mean?" He was scared to ask the question, unsure of what the answer could be.

"I should have never questioned your love for me."

"I deserved it for the way I was acting."

Kahlan propped herself up on her elbow, directing Richard's gaze to her. "No. I compared you to Darken Rahl and that was unacceptable. I cursed you for trying to protect me. It was all in a vain attempt to try and convince myself that you didn't love me, try to force you to admit that your feelings were false or withered." Richard shook his head, shocked at the confession.

"Kahlan, why would you want to do that?" His eyes searched hers, his brows furrowing as his muscles tensed. She looked away from him and shut her eyes.

"Because it would be easier not to love you if you didn't love me back." Richard's heart soared, but quickly dropped to his stomach. This woman was trying to convince herself that he didn't love her, and he bruised her. If anything, that should confirm what she wanted to be true.

But it wasn't true. Richard loved her with everything he had. He'd do anything to take back what he did.

Kahlan looked back at him with uncertainty, awaiting his response. "Is that not what you wish to hear? If your feelings have actually disappeared because of what I said last night, I understand." She moved the covers around her as she tried to slide out of the bed, but Richard quickly wrapped an arm around her stomach and brought her close to him. He kissed her forehead.

"I've wanted to hear those words for so long, but I don't deserve your love." He spoke it softly against her skin, expecting her to nod and walk out of the room, forever leaving his life. Instead, she shook her head and brought his face to hers.

"What happened happened, we can't change it nor can we dwell on it. Had our actions been different, this conversation might not be taking place. I do not want you to feel grief when I tell you that I love you, Richard. These bruises are just a symbol of a man trying to convince a stubborn woman that he loves her and wants to protect her, not out of malice." She kissed him lightly on the lips and moved her head away, gathering his large hand in hers and resting it on her naked stomach. "I am the first Confessor to have a child from a man she loves, and for that I am eternally grateful." Richard smiled despite himself and leaned down to kiss her, mumbling his apologies every time he could.

Richard rested his hands on her wrists, covering the bruises. He wanted them to be gone, to be erased from ever happening, to be removed from her porcelain flesh. He felt a warm tingling sensation, and when he pulled his hands away, the bruises were gone. Richard smiled when she beamed up at him, satisfaction crossing her features.

"I knew forcing you to learn more about your magic would be beneficial." Richard chuckled at her statement.

"I think my magic works on a trigger, much like your Con Dar." He rubbed his nose against hers. "It only responds when I want to heal you." She giggled as she pressed her lips against his, tugging on his pendent.

"Will you say it again?" Richard was unbelievably giddy, the excitement shining through his voice.

"Say-" Kahlan laughed as she pressed a hand to her forehead. "I love you, Richard Cypher." He grinned and nodded, asking her to repeat it again.

"I love you, Richard." He kissed her and she repeated it in every breath until he silenced her with a deeper kiss.


	48. Crowded

Despite her best efforts, Kahlan was still uneasy around the quad. Richard tried his hardest to be around her as much as possible, allowing the men to leave because she was under his protection. It didn't take long for her to become testy with him, leaving her to choose between Richard's company and a quads.

Eventually, Kahlan decided that Cara would serve a much better protector, and when given the choice of Richard or the quad, would often volunteer Cara for the job. Surprisingly enough, the Mord'Sith didn't mind, often stating that neither Lord Rahl or a quad would be able to protect the Mother Confessor properly. Kahlan became better suited to this situation, and soon Cara never left her side.

It had been two months since Kahlan admitted she loved Richard, and the two never spoke of the incident that ignited the confession. Kahlan's pregnancy was showing slightly, the ties on her Confessor's dress loosened enough to allow the garment to hang on her comfortably. Kahlan's ruling over Aydindril was still sound, her pregnancy not affecting her ability to command a kingdom.

Richard was hovering over Kahlan more than usual, wanting to observe every part of the pregnancy as closely as he could. He delighted in watching her grow with his child. She would often toss and turn at night, the baby kicking and keeping her awake. Richard thought this would make Kahlan more testy, but it didn't. It was as if she wasn't even pregnant, aside from her dislike of meat.

Since Cara had become Kahlan's shadow, she was able to read the Mother Confessor's moods. When she would notice that Kahlan was becoming aggravated with Richard, Cara would shoo him away, making up some errand for him to go on or insist he become better acquainted with his army. When she ran out of excuses, Cara would bluntly tell him to leave because he was grating on the Mother Confessor's nerves.

Kahlan had always been insatiable, but her pregnancy was causing her to want him at more inconvenient times of the day. When Richard was talking with an official, Cara would come up to him and plainly state that the Mother Confessor beckoned him to her bed. Richard would blush and stammer some words, but Cara would only smirk and whomever he was having a conversation with would slip away and leave him to do what Kahlan wished.

Desire and disgust with meat seemed to be the only side effects she had.

Despite Zedd's best efforts, he could not bring himself to stop coddling Kahlan. Cara would often push him out the door, claiming that an angry Mother Confessor would be the death of him. Richard was more than pleased that Cara and Kahlan had become companions, but he was beginning to feel jealousy towards the blonde. It seemed the Mord'Sith was the only person Kahlan didn't tire of easily, and Richard couldn't tell if it was because they were so similar, or because Cara knew how to stay out of Kahlan's way,

Either instance, he was still jealous.

Richard had met with Maria a few times since he had planned the surprise, always paying a considerable amount for a small bouquet of lilies. Maria would laugh and urge him to take the flowers free of charge, but Richard would shake his head and decline, stating he wasn't above the law and he was perfectly fine paying. It didn't dissuade Maria from objecting, though. The old woman was persistent, he'd give her that.

Richard decided it would be a good idea to introduce Zedd to Maria, and when the two met, they instantly became close friends. Kahlan thanked Richard profusely, the attention now diverted from her and directed towards the new woman. Richard could tell that Kahlan was an inch away from breaking the old man in half.

Kahlan had a slight case of morning sickness, but other than feeling a little woozy, it hadn't affected her. When Zedd heard of this, he tried to give her a number of elixirs, Kahlan pushing them away and scowling every time he shoved a new one in her face. Cara hadn't been present to warn the old man when Kahlan was becoming close to snapping. When Zedd put a fourth elixir in front of her, she sat up and slammed her fist on the table, taking her other hand and pulling the stopper out of the bottle and splashing it on Zedd. She repeated the action until all the containers were empty, storming out of the room, leaving the wizard drenched in potions.

The action didn't stop him from continuing to try and ease her through her pregnancy. Maria, however, was quite a large distraction.

Richard decided to take the initiative to ease himself back around Kahlan, careful not to overbear her with his presence. After a few days, he was able to stay around her for hours at a time without aggravating her.

However, he still hovered.

Kahlan constantly scolded him, telling him not to prod at her like a child. When her warning fell on deaf ears, she threatened to kick him out of Aydindril. Cara had decided that Richard needed to spend a little time apart from the Mother Confessor after that specific outburst.

After another few weeks, Kahlan's tempers began to swing even more, and Richard felt that if he inhaled a breath incorrectly that she would yell. When she would begin to raise her voice, Richard easily switched her mood to desire, distracting her by random kisses or touches. She would curse at him but eventually give in. Nothing Richard could do, save appealing to her desires, would prevent her from getting mad at him.

If he sat too close, he was hovering over her. If he asked her a question, he was ambushing her. If he touched her, all he wanted her for was sex. Every move Richard made caused Kahlan to become angry. Cara found it all very amusing.

Zedd had informed Richard that it was normal for women with child to act this way, that they became resentful towards the man for making them pregnant. Richard doubted that Kahlan resented him, but he didn't know if he could keep his sanity through the duration of her pregnancy.

He decided he should have a talk with Kahlan, to see how she really felt about the situation, if she actually held ill feelings towards him for giving her a child. It was pitch black outside, the moon hanging high in the sky and offering little light. He made his way into the Confessor's Chambers - Kahlan had become quickly annoyed that he hadn't learned the names of the rooms and made him memorize the titles. She was sitting on her chair, her hands wrapped around a bundle of papers.

Cara was standing nearby and left with a nod from Richard. Kahlan glanced up at him, her left sided smirk creeping on her features.


	49. Outburst

Richard walked forward, smiling down at her while she looked at him through her lashes. The swell of her stomach made him beam, the pregnancy seeming to make her glow. He dragged a chair from the side of the room and placed it in front of hers, sitting down.

"You're hovering."

"I am not."

Kahlan raised her eyebrow at him, pursing her lips and shaking her head. She looked back down at the papers in her hands, scanning over the documents and sighing. Richard reached over and took them, Kahlan scowling as she reached for them. Richard held them out of her reach and Kahlan huffed, crossing her arms below her breasts and scrunching her nose. The effort it took to get up and take the papers from him was more than she wanted, her pregnancy making it harder for her to maneuver around at ease.

"If Cara were here, she'd tell you that you are dangerously close to getting killed." Richard chuckled as Kahlan glared at him, shooting her arm out and opening her hand, demanding to have the papers back. Richard sighed as he set them in her palm. Instead of addressing her statement, he switched to a new topic.

"You two are becoming quite close." Kahlan peered at him through her papers, nodding slightly.

"The Mord'Sith seems to be the only person who has managed not to make my blood boil." Richard laughed and Kahlan smirked, twitching her nose as she read her papers again. They were regarding the next days trials.

"I've never seen Cara become so attached to someone other than myself." He sighed, leaning back in his chair. Kahlan's brows were wrinkling together.

"Your point?"

Richard realized he was treading on thin ice. "I don't necessarily have one. I just noticed how Cara seems to care for you."

"As she cares for you?"

Richard exhaled and buried his head in his hands.

"Those are sure fire signs of guilt, Cypher." She teased, lightening the mood. He chuckled as he rested his forearms on his legs. "Is there anything you want to confess?" Her eyebrow rose, her tone playful.

"No, no." Richard shook his head, laughing lightly. "I thought I may have upset you." Kahlan shrugged as she continued reading the papers, uninterested in the conversation now. Richard wanted her attention, but didn't want to anger her. The two objectives didn't mix well. She looked up from her reading as he started dry washing his hands.

"If you have something to say, then say it." Her smirk played on her lips. He rubbed his hand over his face and planned his words carefully.

"Do you resent me for giving you a child?" She leaned her head back, her nose scrunching and her eyebrows wrinkling. Her lips were slightly parted and her tongue darted out to wet them.

"Seeing as a child is what I've wanted, no." She drew out, her eyes suspicious. "Have you been talking to Zedd?" She sighed and rolled her eyes, muttering something about the old man. Richard started laughing.

"I suppose I have."

She pointed a finger at him and rose her eyebrows. "Don't listen to him. He's old and losing his mind." Richard started laughing heartily, surprised at how well the conversation was going. For the first time in months he felt he didn't have to walk around subjects or watch what he said. His attention was brought back to her when she started speaking again.

"Just the other day he was telling me my pregnancy was messing with my moods. I'll admit I've been getting irritable more easily, but I am not prone to excessive outbursts as he claimed." She huffed, tossing the papers to the side. Richard didn't know how to respond to her statement. She bit her cheek as her eyes narrowed at him.

"Do you think I've been easier to upset lately?" Richard froze, knowing that it didn't matter which direction he took, they all led to him being locked out of their room. He sighed and sat up, clenching his eyes together. When he opened them, Kahlan's mouth was open, mock shock adorning her features. "You do."

"Your temper hasn't worsened, it just appears more often." Richard knew this conversation was going to end badly. "What did you do when Zedd told you this?"

Kahlan's eyes darted as her tongue poked her left cheek. "I may or may not have flipped over his plate of food." Richard started laughing uncontrollably, causing Kahlan to glare at him. "This isn't funny, Richard."

"He tells you that you are prone to excessive outbursts, and then you throw his food on him?" He saw Kahlan clench her jaw as her face scowled at him.

"Is it my fault that all of you seem to be incredibly aggravating? More than usual?"

"No, I suppose it's mine."

"This is not because I am pregnant, Richard." Her eyes narrowed at him, her features tightening. He was certain if confession worked on him, she would be threatening it at this very moment.

"Kahlan, your hormones are a little crazy, that's all."

"No. Do you want to know why Cara hasn't been annoying?" Richard nodded slightly, aware that he was about to get a verbal lashing. "Because she hasn't changed. At all. She is still the Cara I knew before I became pregnant. The maidservants are more doting, treating me as if I can do nothing on my own. Zedd is constantly coddling me and trying to force elixirs down my throat to supposedly ease my pregnancy - I haven't complained one bit! I haven't shown even the slightest bit of discomfort aside from her kicking me while I sleep. But yet, Zedd still feels the need to try and comfort me. I don't need comfort, I'm not a child." She huffed, her face as getting red, and Richard realized the worse was yet to come. "And you, Richard Cypher, you are the worst of them all! I knew people would change when I became pregnant, but I expected you to at least have enough respect for me to give me some space. Instead, you constantly hover around me, asking if I need anything. Have I ever hesitated to tell you if I needed something, Richard?" He shook his head. "Exactly. I have not become lame, I am not helpless, and I certainly can still tell you if I need anything. I wish people would stop treating me like I'm defenseless and can't do anything for myself, I want people to treat me like the Mother Confessor. Cara does that. She doesn't question what I do, she doesn't prod me with questions on if I need anything, she treats me as though the pregnancy doesn't hinder me at all. That's how I want to be treated, that's how I expected you to treat me."

Richard was speechless, he knew he had been a tad overbearing, his joy of his family becoming the foremost thought in his mind. He didn't think that it upset Kahlan as much as it did.

"I," He stammered, running his hand through his hair. "I wasn't aware you felt like that." She shook her head, sighing as she reached for the papers again.

"Just don't coddle me, Richard. I expect you to be happy for our child, I expect you to ask me how she's doing, I _don't_ expect to be treated as though I'm incapable of doing anything." Richard nodded.

"I'm sorry. I-"

"You listened to Zedd, that's what you did." She raised her eyebrows at him, her smirk creeping onto her face. He chucked as he ran his hand through his hair.

"I should really stop that."

"You really should." She nodded, lightly laughing.

"I won't tip toe around you anymore, Kahlan. I'll treat you just as I did before I learned of your pregnancy." She raised her brows and tilted her head.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

She smiled as she lifted her hand and flicked it to the doorway, he grinned as lifted himself out of his chair, leaning to place a kiss on her forehead before he left the room.


	50. Quarrel

It had been a few days since Kahlan informed Richard how she felt about his behavior towards her. He now took care to not take care, and the relationship between them bettered almost instantly. She no longer became aggravated with him and was more playful than anything. When she asked him for something, he even joked, telling her to get it herself. She'd scrunch her nose and pout, and Richard would already be out the door retrieving what she wanted.

Despite Richard's warnings, Zedd didn't let up on shoving remedies for Kahlan's supposed ailments in her face. More often than not, Maria was there accompanying Zedd. When she had met Kahlan, she almost wept from joy, amazed at how sweet the Mother Confessor was and how she grew with Lord Rahl's child. When Maria accidentally slipped up that she had helped Richard plan Kahlan's surprise, Kahlan smiled and offered to give Maria a tour of the whole palace. Maria was now prone to defend Kahlan, often batting Zedd's hands when he tried to offer elixir's her way.

Kahlan was thankful for all the extra defense she could get.

Although Kahlan had long abandoned the quad, Richard still kept them at the ready, stationed in the palace. Because Kahlan was now being treated more as the Mother Confessor and less like an helpless woman, she began taking more time to spend outside, often wandering the courtyard and the tiny forest it held. Richard would stand from a distance, leaning on the doorway, watching her as she waddled around, her hands resting on the top of her belly. The sight took his breath away.

Even though her pregnancy was still early on and her stomach only slightly larger, she began having new Confessor's dresses made, ones that fit her constantly growing figure. Kahlan had shunned the use of her corset long ago, causing Richard to take notice on how she naturally filled out her garments. Her hair was pinned to the back of her head more frequently, the mass aggravating her. She was a sight on sore eyes.

When Kahlan first noticed the quad stalking along in the woods, she paid no mind, acting as though they weren't there. However, when she returned to their room, she made a point that if she were to walk along the woods, that men shouldn't be creeping in the shadows and following her. Richard told the quad the next day that they would be better off walking in plain sight.

The men no longer tried to hide their presence.

When Richard walked into their room he saw Kahlan standing by the window, looking among the trees.

"Hello there, beautiful." Richard beamed, walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her stomach, tracing light patterns over the swell. He smiled as he kissed the soft flesh behind her ear.

"The civilians are starting to notice how I'm being followed by a quad." Her tone was flat, her body stiff and her face void of emotion.

"And?"

"It makes them uneasy to know that the leader of the Midlands is being constantly accompanied by a quad - the same quads that have killed countless people." Richard sighed against her skin as he turned her around to look at him. She was wearing her Confessor's face.

"All the people seem to be getting along nicely with the troops." Kahlan shook her head and fumbled with the ties of her dress.

"They aren't. Even though we are having a child, many are concerned that you aren't confessed, scared that you will change your mind and allow your men to run rampant among the Midlands."

Richard took a step back, shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "That's insane. I've never been hostile to any of them. All I've been is kind."

Kahlan turned her body slightly, crossing her arms beneath her breasts as she glanced out the window. "It's the title, Richard. It brings back horrid memories."

"I did nothing to Aydindril, or the Midlands! I've been nothing but civil to these people. Why is the taint of Darken Rahl seeping it's way into my rule? I owe the Midlands nothing."

Her gaze redirected to him. "You owe the Midlands everything, Richard." Her tone was sharp and dangerous. "You are a Rahl."

"And what do you want me to do about this, Kahlan?"

"Remove your army." Her words held venom and her eyes were hard. Richard shook his head, backing away and lifting his hands.

"Kahlan, this is ridiculous. These people shouldn't hold me to my title, I did nothing to deserve suspicion."

"It doesn't matter."

"I don't hold you to your title, Kahlan. I don't question every move you make and relate it to you being the Mother Confessor."

Kahlan tilted her head, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she glared at him.

"Yes, D'Hara owes the Midlands more than I can even comprehend, But no, the cloud of Darken Rahl's rule should not hang over my head."

She turned, facing the window again, flicking her hand at him. "If you don't care about the Midlands, then you don't care about me." Richard tugged at her arm gently, forcing her to come face to face with him again.

"Don't say that. My feelings for you are their own entity, they are not mixed in with my feelings about this situation." Richard's anger was rising and he struggled to keep his voice steady.

"Richard, I am entwined with the Midlands. I'm asking you to do this for me, to remove your army and ensure the people of Aydindril peace. If you won't do that, then you don't care about me, or respect my rule."

"The two do not coincide."

"They do, and you know it." She snapped, yanking her arm away from him as her face flushed.

"Kahlan, I do care about the Midlands, I do. They were wrongfully oppressed by D'Hara, and many lives were lost because of a tyrant. However, I will not risk your safety in order to give these people peace of mind. They should know this is for your protection. This whole city is devoted to you, Kahlan. You are their Mother Confessor, they should want to protect you - want me to protect you."

"The army is not necessary for that."

"It's the only real protection I can offer you."

"I would rather die than become in debt to D'Hara." Her eyes were cold, her face stern.

"What's this have to do with being in debt to D'Hara? Kahlan, they are doing as I ask. They are in debt to no one."

"One day you will die and someone will take your place, I will not be the reason my people become oppressed again."

"Kahlan, what are you talking about?"

"Do you honestly think the man who takes your place is going to be as kind-hearted as you, Richard? They will use this against the Midlands, twisting it and claiming D'Hara was protecting us from some unforeseen foe, using it as leverage to manipulate the Midlands into doing as they wish. It isn't the first time D'Hara has done things of the sort to the Midlands, and I refuse to be the cause of it happening again."

Richard turned away from her, running his hands through his hair. Kahlan had logical points, and Richard was very aware that D'Hara had done things like this before and that the man who took his place would probably be cruel. He'd argue with Kahlan, but there was nothing to argue when it came to that. He wasn't to have any male children. The only children he was going to have was with Kahlan, who only bore female Confessors. Someone of a distant bloodline would take the throne, most likely following in Darken Rahl's footsteps. He needed to change the subject.

"That's not what this is about," he stammered out, facing her once again. "Your pride is too large for you to accept help from anyone else." Kahlan's jaw dropped and she scoffed, shaking her head in disgust.

"Despite what you may think about my pride, Richard Cypher, it doesn't make my point any less valid." Richard hated that she was right. He sighed in frustration as he wracked his brain for ways to defend his stance. He wasn't taking the army from Aydindril, he knew that much. "You have been the enemy for years, the least you can do is this."

Richard closed the gap between them, hovering only inches in front of her face. "I am _not_ Darken Rahl! I'm tired of being compared to him, it insults who I am. I don't kill innocent people, I don't hunt down women with magical forces," he gestured with his hands towards Kahlan. "You are spitting on me by calling me the enemy, by comparing me to that monster." Richard's rage was steadily barreling out of control.

Kahlan face remained blank, her words laced with venom. "If you aren't willing to withdraw your troops, take your army and leave."

"I would sooner destroy the entire Midlands before leaving you!" His face was red, his anger pumping through is blood. It was the first time Richard had saw an expression on Kahlan's face throughout the whole argument. Her face contorted and he saw her repressing the urge to choke the life out of him.

"Get out." Her words were sharp, underlying threat evident.

"Kahlan Amnell, despite your best attempts, you will never be rid of me." He stepped forward and grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly in his own. "We are forever bonded by the life we have created, and you may hate me for this, but I don't care. Aydindril has a standing guard, not an effective army. I will not allow any harm to come you. The Midlands can remain suspicious about my true motives, I could care less. All that matters is protecting you, whether or not you like it." He let go of her hand, turning to leave the room.

"Am I going to have to warn the Midlands to prepare for war against D'Hara?" Her voice was surprisingly calm, shaking Richard to the core. He turned and glared at her, his eyes dark with fury.

"Do what you must, Mother Confessor." He slammed the door and took a few steps before he sighed and slumped against the nearest wall.

Richard had a gnawing feeling that he just signed his death warrant.


	51. Turbulent

Richard couldn't sleep. The fight with Kahlan kept weighing on his mind. He understood her stance, he really did - he shouldn't have reacted the way he did. He definitely shouldn't have said he would destroy the whole Midlands before he left her, even if it was the truth. He knew there was a death warrant on his head now. He threatened the Midlands, and despite Kahlan's feelings for him, she wouldn't allow him to say such a thing without repercussions.

He was taking refuge in the small forest beside the courtyard, watching the sunlight trickle through the trees. Richard was exhausted, but he couldn't bring himself to face Kahlan again, and that's considering if she left the door unlocked. All he wanted to do was apologize, but everything he said was what he felt. Apologizing would only insult her - you never apologize for the truth.

Richard heard shuffling behind him but didn't react. He didn't care who it was, in a moment he would just tell them to leave him be. The steps didn't stop coming and Richard was becoming aggravated.

"Look, I don't want to-" He stood up and turned around, preparing to yell at a soldier, or possibly Cara, but stopped when he saw Kahlan standing in front of him. Her eyes were red and it looked like she didn't get much sleep either. She fidgeted with the ties of her dress.

"Perhaps I overreacted." Her voice was meek, and Richard felt horrible for making her feel she was in the wrong. She wasn't, she just wanted to protect her people. But Richard wasn't in the wrong either.

"No, no." He approached her but stopped short, not wanting to overcrowd her or make her feel any more uncomfortable than she already was. "I should apologize for what I said." She looked up at him with glassy eyes. "But I can't."

Kahlan nodded and took a step back, preparing to turn away.

"I love you, Kahlan." Richard wanted more than anything for her to stay, not to leave him behind. "And because I love you, I'm not going to insult you and apologize for what I said, because it was the truth." Kahlan looked at him over her shoulder. She sighed as she turned to him again, closing the distance.

"I know. Regardless if it's what I wanted to hear, I know the words you spoke were the truth." She clumsily grabbed at his pendent, offering herself a distraction from looking into his eyes. He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her, placing a light kiss on her hair.

"I don't want the Midlands to view you as the enemy, Richard." He felt tears leak into his shirt. "You're right, it isn't fair of them to compare you to Darken Rahl - but they do. I don't necessarily blame them. I just want to protect them, Richard. I want them to feel safe, that the Mother Confessor can keep them safe." She was gripping tighter at his shirt, her head now buried in the crook of his neck. Her tears were falling onto his skin and his heart broke for her. He began rubbing his hands along her back, trying to sooth her. He was happy he could still wrap his arms around her without the pregnancy making it difficult. Richard was surprised she wasn't bigger than what she was.

Kahlan pulled her head from his neck, placing it only an inch away from Richard's. He could feel her hot breath on his face and wanted to melt into her. He leaned in and closed the small distance, kissing her as if it were the last time he could ever do so. She pulled away after a few moments, resting her forehead on his, her left arm wrapped around his neck and her right hand grasped tightly to his pendent. Richard leaned in to kiss her again, but she hopped backwards, smiling and laughing while waving her finger at him. He chuckled as he took a step forward, only to have her take two steps back.

She was playing a game, and Richard was the opponent.

He took a step to the left, she took a step to the right. He moved forward, she moved backward. Soon Richard had cornered her against a wall of trees, and she cursed when her back met the wood. She scowled at him and when he approached her, ducking under his arm and running off to the other side of the opening, smiling in triumph.

Despite her pregnancy, she could still move rather swiftly.

Instead of continuing along with his tactic, he went straight towards her at a dead run. Kahlan's jaw dropped and he swooped in, quickly gathering her in his arms. She started batting her hands at him.

"Richard Cypher, put me down!" He laughed as he cradled the woman in his arms, the swell of her stomach larger when held at an angle. She was scowling up at him and her hands were furiously trying to loosen his grip on her.

"I win." He kissed her forehead as she shook it.

"This is not over, Cypher."

"Oh, but I believe it is."

"You believe incorrectly." She pouted, blowing strands of hair out of her face as she crossed her arms. He chuckled as he put her down, watching her scurry to a distance that was a considerable amount away from him. "You only win because we are not actually fighting." She huffed, crossing her arms yet again and sticking her nose in the air, causing Richard to laugh.

"And what do you propose we do, Mother Confessor?"

She beamed as she leaned down and grabbed her daggers.

"No, no, no. Not while you're with child." He shook his head vigorously, taking a few steps forward. "I am not going to be the cause of you losing another baby."

She scowled at him and placed one hand on her hip, her other hand waving the dagger around. "Do you think that because I'm pregnant, fights won't occur?"

"Not with my army."

She pursed her lips as she paced in little circles. "You know," she glanced over at him, "I was pregnant when the Sisters attacked." Richard sighed as he leaned his head back.

"Kahlan Amnell, I am not doing this."

"Scared?" She was baiting him and he knew it. He was not going to fight her when she was pregnant with his child. He shook his head again, his face stern. "Despite what you want to believe Richard, your army isn't invincible. The Sisters were able to get past them with very little effort, and if you think that will be the only attempt to kill the last Confessor when she is with child, then you are devastatingly wrong. A simple beggar from the street could easily overtake me if I don't remain sharp. I heard what you had to say, pay me the same respect."

Richard hated this. She was right. Although he tried his hardest to surround her with protection, there were many times when she managed to wander off by herself. She needed to stay sharp in her technique if she were to fend off people attempting to kill her. Confession wasn't always an option. If there was a large group trying to kill her, then she couldn't confess every one before being injured in the process. Richard sighed and hung his head in defeat. If he offered to use wooden sticks, she would scowl at him and say that her killers wouldn't be using such primitive weapons. He clenched his eyes as he pulled his sword out of the scabbard.

He shook his head when she smiled at him. "I do not like this. At all."

Kahlan shrugged and flipped her daggers in her hands, not concerned with his worry. "I wouldn't like being attacked and not being prepared." She grinned at him, basking in glory.

As was the same in the courtyard so many months ago, she gave him the first move. He was hesitant, but quickly started sparring her. The familiar clang of sword against dagger rang through the forest. Their moves were quick and precise, Richard taking extra care not to swing near her stomach, as hard as it was.

Kahlan, however, held no boundaries. She was fighting with just as much strength and tactic as she had done at the People's Palace, and each round she continued to annihilate him.

"You aren't even trying, Cypher." She crossed her arms, her daggers hanging limply in them.

Richard was out of breath from the fights, resting his hands on his knees as he tried to inhale air. "How are you not even the slightest bit exhausted from this? How can you fight this well pregnant?" She started chuckling and Richard looked up at her, his face drenched in sweat while hers was flawless. "I am trying. And failing." She laughed more as she ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it.

"I'll be easier next round." He lifted his eyebrows at her as she laughed and shook her head. "Promise." Richard nodded and gathered strength to stand up, fully aware he should not be fighting her when he was this worn out. Kahlan hadn't even broken a sweat. The pregnancy only seemed to make her even more fierce when fighting. Spirits help whoever had an altercation with this woman.

Richard straightened his back and nodded at her, taking in deep breaths and readjusting his hold on his sword. Next thing he knew, his back made hard contact with the ground and he was gasping. She settled herself on top of him and smiled, repositioning her daggers at his throat and heart.

"Repeat performance?" She snickered, raising an eyebrow at him as he laughed under the light pressure of the knife. Just as before, she lifted it so the could take in breaths without having the blade bite into his flesh. He dropped his sword, resting his hands on her hips.

"Maybe this time we won't get interrupted." He breathed, rubbing circles into her hips with his thumbs. She chuckled. During the fight, her hair had fallen out of it's restraints, and now it curtained the sun from his view, her face the only thing visible. He smiled up at her. She leaned in and placed a light kiss on his lips, still holding the daggers in place.

Richard flicked her hands, as he had done before, and rolled her over onto her back.

This time, he didn't manage to release the weapons fully.

Kahlan's eyes went wide with shock as Richard felt the knife slice into his flesh, his blood pooling onto her white gown.


	52. Stagnant

Richard didn't know where he was. He was faintly aware that Kahlan had stabbed him. He didn't feel any pain though. In fact, he felt as though he were free. He was wandering around a black expanse, terrain barely visible. It didn't matter, he wouldn't fall. Light plumes of green smoke arose from the lack of ground. It was the only light provided.

Realization hit him; he was lingering between life and death.

He heard faint voices in the background, Zedd and Cara's. Richard heard them panicking, trying to find ways to save him. He couldn't be saved. When the knife hit his flesh, he knew he was going to die. It seemed as if everything flashed before his eyes as he gazed into Kahlan's blue orbs. She panicked, tears welling in her eyes as she tried to figure out what to do. His sight went black before she did. He wondered if he fell on top of her. He probably did. He felt a pang of guilt for pressing all his dead weight on her.

Kahlan had gotten him to Zedd and Cara though. He knew he was beyond the help of Zedd's magic. Richard looked down at his skin, somehow visible through the darkness. The color was drained, blood barely pumping through his veins. Kahlan must be traumatized.

Richard pulled at his shirt, his hand becoming warm. It was soaked with the red liquid. He continued to tug at the shirt until he found what he was looking for.

The dagger Kahlan held to his throat was what injured him. The knife she held to his heart was released, Richard remembered seeing it on the ground beside her. The blade she held to his throat evaded his grasp, and slid down to the center of his torso. When Richard fully flipped her over, it sliced into his skin, only inches away from his heart.

He sighed as he let his shirt go, wondering how long he was going to wander aimlessly in this place between worlds. Richard turned around, focusing on the green plumes of smoke.

"Richard?" The voice startled him, and he jumped as he turned around.

Kahlan.


	53. Epiphany

"Kahlan?" His voice became shaky. What was she doing here?

"Hello, Richard." She smiled, walking towards him through the green plumes. Her skin was ghastly white, almost matching her dress. A green tint resided on it. The swell of her stomach was gone, her figure as slender as when he first met her. He started panicking.

"What are you doing here, Kahlan?" He walked towards her, wanting nothing more than to embrace her in his arms. She smiled and shook her head.

"I'm here to guide you to the Underworld." The smile on her face was blinding, her brilliant blue eyes laughing. "Surely you know you are dying."

Richard nodded and pressed a hand to his chest, blood still steadily pouring out. She took a step forward, her dress billowing in an imaginary breeze. The bottom of the cloth was dirty, as though she had been treading the expanse for days.

"Are you dying?" Richard's voice was meek. She shook her head and smiled, lightly laughing.

"No, Richard. I am perfectly well."

"And the baby?" His eyes were welling up with tears, the thought that the fight may have caused her to lose another child making him want to buckle to his knees. Maybe he did sink onto her after he died, maybe the pressure crushed the baby.

"The baby is fine, Richard." Her smile was shaking him to the core.

"Why are you here?"

"I told you, to lead you to the Underworld." She lifted a hand to him. "Take my hand and I will show you."

"Why you?"

Kahlan dropped her limb, clasping her hands in front of her as her smile withered. "You see what you wish to see, Richard."

He shook his head. Why would he want to see Kahlan in this forsaken place? Why would he want to see her without his child steadily growing in her womb? This was too much for him to comprehend.

"Why would I want to see you in this place, without our child?"

"That is for you to answer, Richard, not I."

Something was wrong. All of this was wrong. He ran his hand through his hair, trying to collect his thoughts. Something was nagging at him. He lifted his head in understanding. He looked over to her, smile coming back to her face, her head slightly tilted.

"You've blinded me." His brows were furrowing together, his thoughts racing.

"What do you mean, Richard?" Her voice was patronizing. She lifted her hand again. "Come with me." It was a command.

"You don't love me."

"Of course I do, Richard." Her face was distorting, her head shaking as her mouth parted.

"You don't. All of this was just a ploy."

"Richard, this is absurd. Do you want the last words you say to me to be that of malice?" Kahlan's voice was rising now, venom lacing her words.

"You don't love me. You never loved me. You manipulated me. You came to D'Hara with the mindset to take me as a mate, you-"

"Richard, that makes no sense. You weren't confessed, there was no way I could predict that. You are coming up with schemes." Tears starting coming to her eyes and it disgusted Richard.

"It was always me. To protect the Midlands, that has been your goal from the beginning. D'Hara was still a threat that you needed to end. What better way than to claim the Lord Rahl himself? You manipulated your way into my heart-"

"Do not blame me, Richard. I did not lie to you, I did not act towards you any differently than I have acted towards others. You knew a union was my goal, to bring the Midlands and D'Hara to peace."

"You didn't want them at peace, you wanted D'Hara to be enslaved by the Midlands."

Kahlan sighed as she shook her head, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. "It does not matter any longer, does it Richard? No one can save you. Make peace with yourself and allow me, the woman you love, to deliver you to the Underworld."

"It didn't matter whether or not I was confessed or not, I would be devoted to you either way. You just needed to keep me alive long enough to provide you a child, then you could kill me and claim D'Hara."

"Do you recall a certain argument we had, Richard? You have no male heir, a distant relative would take your throne. How could I claim it?"

"Because D'Hara already views you as their queen."

Kahlan smirked. "And whose fault is that, my dear Richard?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose. How was this even happening? How could he allow himself to be fooled like this? This woman knew she was going to take him as a mate, knew he would give her a child, and then was going to kill him and claim D'Hara - enslaving it to the Midlands as revenge for what D'Hara did to them when Darken Rahl was in rule. All the signs were there, he was just too blind to see it. Her outbursts at quads, her comparing him with Darken, her demeanor in general was enough to give it away. She tugged him along and made him believe she loved him, just so he'd trust her enough to allow her to do as she wished.

She intentionally stabbed him.

His mind didn't want to believe it, but it was true. He did flick both the daggers out of her hands, she was just impossibly quick, grabbing the nearest one and positioning it where she knew he wouldn't be able to be healed. The shock on her face was to convince him she didn't mean to. She wanted it to look like an accident. She had everyone fooled, Zedd and Cara would believe her when she told them they were sparring and it was a fluke accident. His mind reeled. She was going to take over D'Hara and claim it as her own. Zedd and Cara would approve the decision.

"This was all a lie." He whispered, pressing his hand against his wound again. "You never cared, you never loved me."

"You meant nothing to me, Richard. You were a pawn I used to gain what I wanted." Her tone was sharp, and when he looked up at her, she was still wearing her smile. She stepped closer to him, holding out her hand once again.

He took a step back.

"Richard, you loved me. You can not deny that. I had secretive motives, yes, but who you were with was who I really am. Don't dwell on what I did, take my hand."

Richard had never asked her what she meant to do, technically the only lie she had said was that she loved him, and only after he had cornered her about it. He wasn't going to be saved. These thoughts meant nothing, no one else could hear them. He felt his body grow weaker, knowing he was only a few heart beats away from falling into the Underworld by himself. He'd rather have Kahlan lead him there.

She smiled at him. "There is no need to worry, Richard. Soon D'Hara will be joined with the Midlands and all will be well."

"What are you going to do to D'Hara, Kahlan?" He looked up at her, his voice struggling.

"What they had done to us." Her smile grew as she held her hand out closer to him. He shook his head.

He couldn't die.

Countless innocent D'Harans were going to die at the hands of this woman, and he was just supposed to let it happen? He felt his body go numb.


	54. Instinct

Richard clenched his eyes shut, the light making his head throb. The room was silent and he no longer felt a dull pain in his chest. He mustered up the strength to lift his lids, hearing commotion before his eyes adjusted to the light.

Zedd and Cara were hovering over him, both with tears in their eyes. Richard moved his head to the side, focusing in on a cup of water. Cara quickly grabbed it, moving to help Richard sit up and drink it. Zedd batted at the blonde, telling her to let him stay still, but Richard shook his head as he accepted her help, sitting against the head board of the bed. He made a few quick swallows, his throat dry and scratchy.

"My boy, you're alive!"

Richard pressed a hand to his chest, expecting to see it soaked in blood. The wound was gone and he smiled.

"Kahlan was distraught! She sent the nearest guard she could find to come and fetch us. She was hovering over your body, her tears soaking your shirt along with your blood." The old man spouted out.

Richard was disgusted at her false care. In a bitter tone, he asked, "And where is she now?"

Cara's eyebrow shot up. "I told her she should get some rest, she could barely stand." Richard nodded his head, taking another sip of water.

"How long?"

"Two days."

"I survived for two days?" Richard looked curiously at the old man as he dry washed his hands.

"I used magic to slow down the bleeding, I'm surprised you lasted that long." Zedd looked down at his hands, his eyes welling up with tears. Then his head snapped up, and excitement crept across his features. "What did you see, my boy?"

"Excuse me?" Richard's eyes grew wide.

"The wizard has heard some story of how if you are caught between life and death, then you see things that reveal truths." Cara scoffed, waving her leather clad hand in the air towards Zedd. Richard gave him a puzzled look.

"It is said that if a person is stuck between the world of life and death, a great truth will appear before them. An epiphany, a realization that they never once thought of. Or a thought they never wished to believe. When, in this limbo, the person dying will know the truths as if by instinct, a random thought or action spurring the realization."

Richard stared at him, holding the mug of water in front of his mouth. "I saw nothing of the sort."

Zedd sighed and Cara laughed, slapping a hard hand on the old man's back.

"Well, what was it like, my boy?"

Richard put the mug down, and grabbed his blood stained pendent in his hand, rolling it between his fingers. "A void of all emotions. Nothing." He dropped the pendent and looked up at the two, Zedd leaned back in his chair while Cara stood by Richard's bed.

"Lord Rahl, your magic brought you back from the brink of death." Cara's voice was small as Zedd nodded.

"No," Richard said, looking between the two and their questioning gazes. "Kahlan did." He swung his legs over the bed, steadying himself on the ground as he stood. His shirt was still soaked in blood and he needed to bathe. He knew the two had questions, but he didn't wish to answer them at this time. He didn't offer them a chance to ambush him with words, quickly reaching the door. When he left the room, Zedd and Cara were wearing smiles.


	55. Redemption

Richard roamed the halls of the Confessor's Palace until he reached his destination - the Confessor's Chambers. He heard the muffled sounds of Kahlan speaking and detoured, deciding to go through the main entrance instead of the side door. He worked his way around and opened the door slightly, sliding in.

"It is with great regret that I must inform you that Lord Richard Rahl is on his deathbed. He does not have a male heir, leaving the D'Harans without a proper ruler." Richard heard Kahlan's voice choke up and he had to stifle a laugh. "I wish I could do something that would bring him back, to allow our child to have a father and D'Hara to have a leader." Richard peered around the crowd in front of him, all of them too enthralled with the speech to notice that he had slipped through. He saw her resting her hands on her stomach. He smiled despite himself.

"I know this goes against all the laws of D'Hara, but until a proper heir can ascend the throne, I would like to guard over you and make sure the mighty D'Hara does not fall without a ruler." Richard looked around as the crowd nodded their heads. They were all commanders and generals in his army. They were all men that Kahlan acquainted herself with, befriended. Richard continued to stand in the shadows, not wanting to be noticed.

Richard darted his eyes when a man started to speak. "It's what Lord Rahl would want, the mother of his child looking over his kingdom." The crowd nodded again and Richard placed a hand over his mouth. He watched as Kahlan wiped tears from her eyes.

She wasn't a stupid woman. She was working this crowd and she knew it, claiming just to watch over D'Hara instead of take over full command - which he was sure she would do once she settled herself in as the mother hen. All these men adored her, all of D'Hara adored her. They would welcome their destruction with open arms. He should end this, end it all.

However, Richard couldn't lay a hand on her. He wouldn't. Although she wished to run his kingdom straight into the ground, he still loved her. Somewhere in her deeply dark twisted mind, he was sure she cared for him as well, even if his epiphany told him otherwise. He may be disgusted with her right now, but Richard knew she'd be able to talk him into forgiving her. This woman held all the strings of command in her tiny hands, and she plucked them when it would benefit her.

And he still loved her.

It disgusted him that he did, but he couldn't deny his heart. Maybe his feelings were still in tact because she was the mother of his still growing child. Maybe after the babe was born, he would be able to cut off all emotions towards her. Most likely not.

Kahlan continued to speak on behalf of him, glorifying his image with what a respectable and caring man he was. How he loved her when no one else could. How he cared for his kingdom and his people. Richard knew she was telling the truth, that none of what she said was forced. She didn't have to convince herself of these things, she believed them. Maybe he could reform her.

Richard knew it was a lost cause, but it was the only hope he had.

He didn't pay much attention to the rest of Kahlan's speech, his mind wandering to the thought of their child, if she'd be a good mother despite her betrayal. He collected his thoughts when he heard applause and peered through heads of those around him to see Kahlan crying.

For a fleeting moment, Richard thought the tears could be real.

She turned to walk towards her Confessor's chair, moving to sit down and dismissing everyone in the room. The commanders and generals turned as Richard took a step forward, all of the gasping. Kahlan paid no mind, her back still turned. Everyone in the room became silent.

Richard began walking forward, the crowd parting for him. The rustling of feet caused Kahlan to turn around. When her eyes met his, her face didn't attempt to hide her shock. She faced him, her hands resting on her stomach as she shook her head, her gaze becoming dangerous. She was still wearing the bracelet he had given her, the one he bestowed upon her to show her how much he loved her.

He took a few more steps forward and lifted a hand to her. Kahlan looked at him as though he were the Keeper, afraid to make contact with his flesh. She eyed him warily, refusing to accept his hand. He stood there like stone, his eyes never leaving her. The crowd behind them was quiet, all waiting with anticipation to see what was happening. Richard had no doubt that they expected Kahlan to become teary eyed and to hug him, shower him with kisses. That wasn't her intention.

She wanted him dead. He was not. This ruined her plans.

Concern for D'Hara may have been what saved his life, but this woman carried his child. He would not strike her nor embarrass her. As far as Richard was concerned, she never had plans to take over D'Hara, she never stabbed him with intention. This was to stay between the two of them. This was their secret. If he spoke of it, it would just alarm a nation, rid the Midlands of their leader, and possibly be the death of their child. It had become obvious to Richard that no one else had picked up on Kahlan's plans, it would be of no benefit to enlighten them now.

He took another step forward with is arm still extended, his facials lightening. Kahlan knew. He could see it in her eyes that he knew of her plans, of what she had done and had planned on doing. She eyed him again, taking a step back. She looked to the crowd, motioning them to leave. They did so reluctantly.

When the door closed, Kahlan and Richard stared at each other, each not saying a word. Kahlan swallowed and began to open her mouth.

"I know." Richard interrupted, hand still offered to her. "I know of what you did, what you planned to do. How you meant to kill me, to take over D'Hara and give the Midlands their revenge."

Kahlan's face was hard and blank. "And what do you plan to do about my actions?"

"Nothing." Shock returned back to her face as she tilted her head towards him, waiting for him to elaborate. "No one else knows of your plans, Kahlan. I'm still alive, I have spoiled them. There is no need to punish you now."

"The intent is as bad as the deed." Her voice was a little unsteady. Richard nodded at her, taking another step closer. This time, she didn't move back.

"This is true, but sometimes second chances are in order. You can be redeemed, Kahlan." She shook her head at him and scoffed.

"You are a rare person, Richard Cypher. To let a woman who tried to kill you and ruin your kingdom to continue to live her life without the slightest punishment? Most would call that foolish. You leave me a chance to try yet again." Richard smiled at her and she smirked, looking down at her hands which were resting on her stomach. "I can not be redeemed, Richard."

Richard shook his head. "All can be redeemed, Kahlan."

"What makes you think I wish to be redeemed? What makes you think I won't try and kill you again?"

"I have faith."

"That is ridiculous. How can you trust a woman who wanted nothing but to destroy you?"

"All your life you have had to brush aside what you felt for your people. You want to protect the Midlands from D'Hara, what better way than to crush the opposing nation?"

Kahlan laughed as she shook her head. "And you are just going to brush this off? Act as though this never happened?" He nodded.

"Your devotion to the Midlands is astounding, Kahlan. You held up this ruse for months without anyone comprehending what you were doing. I swear to you that D'Hara will not be a threat."

"You can not promise such things." Her voice was harsh and skeptical. He smiled at her.

"You will just have to place your trust in me."

Kahlan glanced to the side, sighing. Her blue eyes made contact with his brown ones as she lifted her hand and reached it towards his.

The road ahead would be rocky, convincing her that a threat wasn't present would be nearly impossible. She would fight him every step of the way, but she could be redeemed. Richard would try until his dying breath to make her realize that the Midlands was safe, that D'Hara wouldn't strike against them. He was positive that she wouldn't repeat the plan, he felt it in the marrow of his bones. They were going to raise a child together, possibly create another life. He just had to show Kahlan that all was well, that she was in safe hands.

Maybe along the way she would open up to him, embrace her own thoughts and feelings.

Despite what had happened, they were forever bonded by the child growing inside of her. They were a family. Family was the most important thing to Richard. Family helped each other, healed each other.

Family forgave each other.

**- END.**


End file.
